ICC releases 2011 World Cup fixtures

International Cricket Council has finally released the schedule for the 2011 World Cup. The 43 day tournament will be hosted by India, Sri-Lanka and Bangladesh. The opening ceremony is will take place at Dhaka on February 17th. India will take on Bangladesh in the opening match. This match is scheduled to be played at Dhaka. Among the three hosts India will host 29 matches, Sri-Lanka will host 12 and Bangladesh gets 8 matches including 2 quarter-finals. Eight cities have chosen from India to host its quota of 29 matches. It includes Mumbai, Mohali, Ahmadabad, Nagpur, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and New Delhi. Semifinals will be played in Mohali and Colombo. And the grand finale is scheduled at Mumbai on April 2. Group A: Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada, Kenya. Group B: India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands. Fixtures: February 17: Opening ceremony, Dhaka February 19: India vs Bangladesh, Dhaka February 20: New Zealand vs Kenya, Chennai Sri Lanka vs Canada, Hambantota February 21: Australia vs Zimbabwe, Ahmedabad February 22: England vs Netherlands, Nagpur February 23: Pakistan vs Kenya, Hambantota February 24: South Africa vs West Indies, New Delhi February 25: Australia vs New Zealand, Nagpur Bangladesh vs Ireland, Dhaka February 26: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, Colombo February 27: India vs England, Kolkata February 28: West Indies vs Netherlands, New Delhi Zimbabwe vs Canada, Nagpur March 1: Sri Lanka vs Kenya, Colombo March 2: England vs Ireland, Bangalore March 3: South Africa vs Netherlands, Mohali Pakistan vs Canada, Colombo March 4: New Zealand vs Zimbabwe, Ahmedabad Bangladesh vs West Indies, Dhaka March 5 : Sri Lanka vs Australia, Colombo March 6: India vs Ireland, Bangalore England vs South Africa, Chennai March 7: Kenya vs Canada, New Delhi March 8: Pakistan vs New Zealand, Pallekele March 9: India vs Netherlands, New Delhi March 10: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Pallekele March 11: West Indies vs Ireland, Mohali Bangladesh vs England, Chittagong March 12: India vs South Africa, Nagpur March 13: New Zealand vs Canada, Mumbai Australia vs Kenya, Bangalore March 14: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Pallekele Bangladesh vs Netherlands, Chittagong March 15: South Africa vs Ireland, Kolkata March 16: Australia vs Canada, Bangalore March 17: England vs West Indies, Chennai March 18: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, Mumbai Ireland vs Netherlands, Kolkata March 19: Australia vs Pakistan, Colombo Bangladesh vs South Africa, Dhaka March 20: Zimbabwe vs Kenya, Kolkata India vs West Indies, Chennai March 23: First quarter-final, Dhaka March 24: Second quarter-final, Colombo March 25: Third quarter-final, Dhaka March 26: Fourth quarter-final, Ahmedabad March 29: First semi-final, Colombo March 30: Second semi-final, Mohali April 2: Final, Mumbai