Defending champions India have been placed in an easy group A -- alongside Bangladesh and Zimbabwe -- for the 2009 ICC [Images] Twenty20 cricket World Championships in England [Images].

- T20 World Championships: Coverage

The grouping for the second edition of the event was decided in a two-day ICC Board meeting, which concluded in Dubai on Wednesday.

The early decision on the matter was taken on the request of hosts England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who want to proceed with the venue event bidding process which would allow match tickets to go on sale at the earliest.

Since not enough matches have been played in the shortest format of the game to allow viable official rankings, the Board decided to group teams on the basis of their finishing positions in the inaugural edition of the championship this year.

ODI world champions Australia have been placed in group C along with Sri Lanka [Images] and West Indies [Images].

Groups:
     Group A: India, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe
     Group B: Pakistan, England, Associate 1
     Group C: Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies
     Group D: New Zealand [Images], South Africa, Associate 2.