India open Trophy campaign against Aussies

Karachi: India will take on defending champions Australia at Karachi on September 13 in their first match under the revised fixture for the Champions Trophy tournament, beginning on September 12.

The event will kick off with hosts Pakistan facing off against runners-up the West Indies in Lahore.

India and Pakistan will meet only in their last group match on September 20.

The new schedule was today sent to all participating nations after the Pakistan Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council agreed to drop Rawalpindi as one of the three venues for the eight-nation tournament.

Lahore and Karachi will host the semi-finals while the final will be staged in Lahore on September 28 with the reserve day on the 29th, as per the changed schedule.

However, the schedule for the warm-up matches was yet to be confirmed.

India are placed in Group A alongside defending champions Australia, Pakistan and West Indies while the Group B comprises South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England.

The revised schedule:

September 10: ICC Awards ceremony, Lahore

September 12: Pakistan v West Indies, Lahore

September 13: Australia v India, Karachi

September 14: Sri Lanka v England, Lahore

South Africa v New Zealand, Karachi

September 15: Pakistan v Australia, Karachi

September 16: South Africa v Sri Lanka, Lahore

September 17: England v New Zealand, Lahore

September 18: West Indies v India, Karachi

September 19: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Lahore

September 20: India v Pakistan, Karachi

Semi-finals:

September 24: Semifinal 1: A2 vs B1, Karachi

September 25: Reserve Day

September 26: Semifinal 2: A1 vs B2, Lahore

September 27: Reserve Day

Final:

September 28: Final, Lahore

September 29: Reserve Day.