Sport - Cricket

Sri Lanka meets Pakistan in Champions opener

cation> LONDON June 21. The host Sri Lanka will play Pakistan in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy in September.

The International Cricket Council announced a revised version of the tournament schedule on Thursday, with the opening game — a day-night clash — set for September 12 at Colombo's Premadasa stadium. Each of the 12 competing nations will play two games in the pool stage before the semifinals, with the final due to be staged on September 29, also at Premadasa stadium.

The tournament is a revamped version of the ICC Knockout Trophy, known as the `mini World Cup' and which was last won by New Zealand. In all, nine of the tournament's 15 matches will be day-night fixtures at Premadasa.

The groupings: Pool 1: Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand; Pool 2: India, England, Zimbabwe; Pool 3: Kenya, South Africa, West Indies; Pool 4: Netherlands, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Revised match schedule: Sept. 12: Sri Lanka v Pakistan (day/night), Premadasa; Sept. 13: South Africa v West Indies, Sinhalese Sports Club; Sept. 14: India v Zimbabwe (d/n) Premadasa; Sept. 15: Australia v New Zealand, SSC; Sept. 16: Sri Lanka v Netherlands (d/n), Premadasa; Sept. 17: West Indies v Kenya, SSC; Sept. 18: England v Zimbabwe (d/n), Premadasa; Sept. 19: Australia v Bangladesh, SSC; Sept. 20: South Africa v Kenya (d/n), Premadasa; Sept. 21: Pakistan v Netherlands, SSC; Sept. 22: England v India (d/n), Premadasa; Sept. 23: New Zealand v Bangladesh, SSC; Sept. 25: Semifinal (reserve day Sept. 26): Winner Pool 2 v Winner Pool 3 (d/n), Premadasa; Sept. 27: Semifinal (reserve day Sept. 28): Winner Pool 1 v Winner Pool 4 (d/n), Premadasa; Sept. 29: Final (reserve day Sept. 30) (d/n), Premadasa. — Reuters

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