T20 World Cup 2022: A factbox

* The tournament was originally scheduled for late 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. India staged the seventh edition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year. * The 45 matches will be played in the cities of Geelong, Hobart, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. The semi-finals take place at Sydney Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval with the final at Melbourne Cricket Ground. * Hosts Australia are the reigning champions after beating New Zealand in the final in Dubai last year to win their first title. * West Indies (2012, 2016) have won the title twice, while India (2007), Pakistan (2009), England (2010) and Sri Lanka (2014) are the other teams to have won it once.

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Aaron Finch's men enjoy the advantage of being the only winners of cricket's shortest format to have a crack at defending the title on home territory since the T20 World Cup started in 2007.

* Despite being former champions, West Indies and Sri Lanka will play in the opening qualifying stage. Eight teams have been split into two groups with the top two from each progressing to the Super 12. Group A: Namibia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, UAE Group B: Ireland, Scotland, West Indies, Zimbabwe * The Super 12 will also be played as a round robin with two groups of six. The top two from each go through to the semi-finals. Group 1: Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, winner Group A, runner-up Group B. Group 2: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa, winner Group B, runner-up Group A.

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The eighth edition of the T20 World Cup officially begins October 16 and a total of 45 matches are set to be played across 7