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The
West Indies will play Pakistan in the opening group stage
of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, after seedings were decided
by the International Cricket Council yesterday.
The ICC used yesterday’s rankings in the One-Day International
table to determine the seedings. Australia, Sri Lanka, India
and host West Indies were already seeded in July, 2004 and
each placed in one of the four groups to contest the initial
group stage.
Top-seeded Australia is in Group One, to be based in St Kitts/Nevis
with South Africa and two teams yet to be decided.
Sri Lanka leads Group Two, to be based in T&T, with India,
Bangladesh and a qualifier while England is grouped with New
Zealand, Kenya and a qualifier in Group Three in St Lucia.
Jamaica will host Group Four matches involving Pakistan, West
Indies, Zimbabwe and a qualifier.
The five qualifiers will be determined at the 12-team ICC
Trophy, to be held from June 27 to July 13 in Ireland.
“Confirmation
of the seedings means we can already look forward to a number
of mouthwatering clashes in the group stage,” ICC chief
executive Malcolm Speed said.
“Host
team West Indies against Pakistan looks to be a key game in
Group Four, while the presence of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
in Group 2, allied to the Asian cultural influence in T&T,
will make for a wonderful atmosphere and some compelling cricket.”
The top two teams will advance from the group stage to the
Super Eights, where each team will play against every team
it has not already played.
The top four teams at the end of the Super Eights will qualify
for the quarterfinals.
The World Cup tournament will be held in February and March
2007 with dates and fixtures to be announced in mid-July this
year.
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