Wanindu Hasaranga will make his comeback after missing the Asia Cup and the 50-overs World Cup.
Afghanistan were once considered World Cup minnows, having won just one game in their two previous campaigns.
The T20 World Cup in the US is a 'landmark event' and there is huge excitement among the diaspora as well as across America, said Consul General of India in New York Binaya Srikanta Pradhan.
Afghanistan and Namibia, unbeaten in the group stages of the qualifying tournament for this year's World Twenty20 Cup, meet on Thursday in a match which will secure the victors a trip to Sri Lanka.
South Africa coach Russell Domingo has vowed his side won't play "fancy" cricket in their search for an elusive ICC trophy as they depart for the World Twenty20 in India on Thursday in confident mood. South Africa head to the tournament ranked as the third best team in the 20-over format and on the back of recent series wins in Bangladesh and, crucially, India. Domingo believes they will be able to quickly put behind them the 2-1 home loss to Australia, confirmed on Wednesday with a six-wicket loss in Cape Town, which he didn't think diminished from an excellent 14 months for his side in the shortest format. "We are all pretty chilled. I don't think there is a weight of expectation around our team or any of the teams because of the nature of the competition," he told reporters. "You can't get too fancy, you can't get too funky. There is no magic wand to wave. The sides that do the basics really well in high-pressure games, they usually come out on top."
The Indian cricket team will open its campaign in next year's World Twenty20 Championships against arch-foes Pakistan when the event is staged in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6.
Australia take on West Indies in a three-match T20 series starting in Hobart on Friday as part of their preparations for the June 1-29 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States.
Will Bangladesh come undone again on the big stage or will they shake off the tag as underachievers and win their first World Cup title?
A captain's innings by Kumar Sangakkara (55 not out) and Tillakaratne Dilshan quickfire 53 knocked Australia out of the ICC World Twenty20 following their six-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka, in Nottingham on Monday.
Australia's Aaron Finch will not require surgery on his injured hamstring, the country's cricket board said on Monday, raising hopes that the captain will be fit for next month's World Twenty20 in India.
Warner has already announced that he will end his Test career in January next year
"I really love the game, but most importantly, I want to win another World Cup for Australia."
Young paceman James Pattinson was surprisingly left out from Australia's preliminary 30-member squad announced for the World Twenty20 Championship in Sri Lanka in September.
Photos of the World Twenty20 match between South Africa and England.
Dethroned Twenty20 World champions India are placed alongside South Africa and a qualifier team in Group C for the next year's third edition of the tournament to be played in the West Indies. Holders Pakistan are in the Group A, where they will have to ward off the challenges from Bangladesh and Australia to advance in the event starting April 30, according to the 2010 World Twenty20 match schedule announced by the International Cricket Council on Sunday.
Trouble seems to be brewing in the Pakistan cricket team with speculation rife of differences between skipper Mohammed Hafeez and the team management.
Following is a factbox on the second World Twenty20 semi-final between West Indies and India to be played at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Australian women produced an impressive performance to edge out their English counterparts by four runs in an exciting final of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 in Colombo.
West Indies will again rely on a hardened bunch of Twenty20 specialists as they bid to retain their World Cup title, but are set for a stern test from India, out to secure a first global trophy under Virat Kohli, and an England team bidding to become champions in two formats.
'And here I was, walking as a showstopper. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful gift.'
West Indies women outclassed Australia by eight wickets to win their maiden ICC Women's World T20 championship in Kolkata, on Sunday.
India's Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik join an ICC World XI for the high-profile Twenty20 International against the West Indies at Lord's in London on May 31, being organised to raise funds for stadia in the Caribbean damaged by hurricanes last year.
'What's sad today is that there are so many people who cannot find work, not because the country is devoid of that opportunity, but because we are not doing enough in the country.'
Sharad Pawar said India was yet to decide on its participation in the inaugural Twenty-20 World Championship
Australia were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field too, dropping catches that highlighted their road-weariness, while death bowling remained a major issue as their glorious summer of Test cricket, made memorable by their Ashes win and series victory in South Africa, fizzled out in Bangladesh..
Australia's hopes of capturing the only title that has evaded their grasp vanished when Sri Lanka beat them by six wickets in the first round of the ICC World Twenty20. Sri Lanka, replying to Australia's 159 for nine in 20 overs, finished with 160 for four in 19.
Statistical highlights of Sunday's World T20 match between India and the West Indies.
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.
Can 2007 champions India finally end their 15-year title drought?
Rajneesh Gupta presents detailed statistical analysis of the top individual performances in the tournament.
All-rounders Andre Russell and Fabien Allen, who last featured in the format during the World Cup last year, and Sunil Narine, who last played for West Indies in 2019, are absent from the squad.
With the top two from the group set to advance, India and Bangladesh each have four points, with Dravid's side having the edge on net run rate.
The Uday Saharan-led Indian colts shared the top honours with their South African counterparts in the Tri-Nation Under-19 Tournament after the title clash was called off due to rain in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Young Virat Kohli is the lone Indian to find a place in the ICC World Twenty20 men's eleven of the tournament, which is dominated by champions West Indies and runners-up Sri Lanka.
Chris Gayle, Ravindra Jadeja and Brendon McCullum among others could light up the tournament with their big-hitting on the flat pitches of Dhaka. With the fifth edition of the World Twenty20 championship commencing in Bangladesh on Sunday, here are the top 10 batsmen to watch out for in the tournament.
Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey will also work with the side for two weeks of the tournament
Pakistan Hugh Commissioner Abdul Basit is hopeful that arch rivals India and Pakistan will meet in the final of the ICC World Twenty20 in Kolkata on April 3.
Aiden Markram said South Africa are taking nothing for granted despite beating India on Sunday to put themselves in the driving seat for qualification for the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals.
Facing a barrage of criticism for his slow batting in the lost World Twenty20 final against Sri Lanka, Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh found support from his teammate and close friend Harbhajan Singh, who urged fans to not be bitter about just "one bad day".
Virat Kohli has been in phenomenal form for India in the Twenty20 format and he has shown just why he is rated at the best batsman in the format.
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