India and Australia to kick off Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Sri Lanka completed cricket's lineup for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 alongside Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa. The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the schedule for the multi-sport event as India will take on Australia in the opening T20I match on July 29 at Edgbaston.

India, who are pooled alongside Australia, Barbados and Pakistan in Group A while Group B comprises England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. 

India will face off arch-rivals Pakistan on July 31 and Barbados on August 3 in their final group match.

The announcement was made jointly by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) on Tuesday following Sri Lanka’s victory in the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 in Kuala Lumpur last week and the subsequent CGF ratification of Sri Lanka’s entry.

Women’s cricket will make its entry into the Commonwealth Games which will be the second time for cricket to feature in the event. Men’s competition was part of the Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 where Shaun Pollock-led South Africa had won the gold beating Steve Waugh’s Australia by four wickets in the final. 

The bronze and gold medal matches are scheduled for 7 August.