ESPN3 Presents Exclusive Live Coverage of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 Cricket Championship in the U.S.
ESPN2 to Telecast Final Live on Sunday, April 6
Comprehensive Global Coverage, News and Highlights from ESPNcricinfo across Platforms
The biennial ICC World Twenty20 Championship returns to ESPN3 with exclusive live coverage of the cricket tournament in the U.S., making it available to more than 85 million households nationwide at no additional cost to fans who receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider. In addition to ESPN3, ESPN2 will telecast the championship final live on Sunday, April 6 at 9 a.m. ET. A total of four warm-up matches from the ICC World Twenty20 and the ICC Women's World Twenty20 semifinals and final will also be delivered live on ESPN3. ESPNcricinfo will also provide extensive coverage throughout the event from a team of seasoned experts and analysts globally and across platforms.
"We're pleased to once again present the ICC World Twenty20 Championship on ESPN3 in the U.S. this year," said Damon Phillips, Vice President of WatchESPN & ESPN3. "By delivering the biggest cricket tournament of the year nationwide, we are not only serving passionate fans, but also introducing the world's second most popular sport to new audiences."
Sambit Bal, Editor-in-Chief of ESPNcricinfo, added: "ESPNcricinfo will deliver a complete tournament package covering the ICC World Twenty20 before, during and after the tournament. Our line-up of analysts and writers coupled with engaging multimedia features will serve cricket fans with the most comprehensive coverage across platforms."
Complete Coverage Live Exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN3
ESPN3 will carry complete coverage of the ICC World Twenty20 Championship in the U.S. exclusively live from Bangladesh, including the championship final which will also be telecasted live on ESPN2. The multi-screen sports network - available online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Apple TV and Roku - will feature every match of the tournament. ESPN3 will also carry studio programming from ESPN Caribbean in between matches on the same day as well as 30-minute wrap and highlight shows hosted by Mike Haysman with analyst Ricardo Powell at the conclusion of every match beginning with India vs. Pakistan on Friday, March 21. The entire tournament will be available for replay shortly after the conclusion of each match on ESPN3, with highlights from India vs. Pakistan, West Indies vs. India and the final available on ESPN TV On Demand.
The West Indies looks to repeat its first ever ICC World Twenty20 tournament in 2012, where they defeated Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final. They will compete against a strong field of national teams, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and Austraia. The group stage includes:
· Group A: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Nepal
· Group B: Ireland, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe
· Group 1: South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand, Qualifier B1
· Group 2: Australia, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Qualifier A1
In 2011, ESPN signed two four-year agreements with the ICC and Champions League Twenty20, adding more than 1,000 hours of cricket coverage to ESPN3's programming slate through 2015, including the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Most recently, ESPN3 carried New Zealand's matches vs. India as part of a new seven-year deal through 2020 for New Zealand Board rights, as well as England's tour of the West Indies, the West Indies Tri-Nation Series and additional series from the Pakistan and Sri Lanka cricket boards, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, 2013 Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament, 2012 Champions League Twenty20 and 2012 ICC World Twenty20. Previously, ESPN3 delivered Bangladesh home matches against top-tier visiting national teams, Sri Lanka Premier League, the 2010 Asia Cup, the Caribbean Regional Twenty20 Tournament and more.
Events from the ICC represent some of the most prestigious cricket matches in the world, sanctioned by the international governing body of cricket. The complete ICC World Twenty20 Championship schedule:
Date Time (ET) Match
Sun, Mar 16 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 1st Match, Group A: Bangladesh vs. Afghanistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 2nd Match, Group A: Hong Kong vs. Nepal
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Mon, Mar 17 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 3rd Match, Group B: Ireland vs. Zimbabwe
Sylhet Stadium
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 4th Match, Group B: Netherlands vs. United Arab Emirates
Sylhet Stadium
Tue, Mar 18 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 5th Match, Group A: Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 6th Match, Group A: Bangladesh vs. Nepal
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Wed, Mar 19 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 7th Match, Group B: Netherlands vs. Zimbabwe
Sylhet Stadium
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 8th Match, Group B: Ireland vs. United Arab Emirates
Sylhet Stadium
Thu, Mar 20 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 9th Match, Group A: Afghanistan vs. Nepal
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 10th Match, Group A: Bangladesh vs. Hong Kong
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Fri, Mar 21 1:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 11th Match, Group B: Zimbabwe vs. United Arab Emirates
Sylhet Stadium
5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 12th Match, Group B: Ireland vs. Netherlands
Sylhet Stadium
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 13th Match, Group 2: India vs. Pakistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Sat, Mar 22 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 14th Match, Group 1: South Africa vs. Sri Lanka
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 15th Match, Group 1: England vs. New Zealand
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Sun, Mar 23 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 16th Match, Group 2: Australia vs. Pakistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 17th Match, Group 2: India vs. West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Mon, Mar 24 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 18th Match, Group 1: New Zealand vs. South Africa
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 19th Match, Group 1: Sri Lanka vs. TBC (Qualifier B1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Tue, Mar 25 9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 20th Match, Group 2: West Indies vs. TBC (Qualifier A1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Thu, Mar 27 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 21st Match, Group 1: South Africa vs. TBC (Qualifier B1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 22nd Match, Group 1: England vs. Sri Lanka
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Fri, Mar 28 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 23rd Match, Group 2: Australia vs. West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 24th Match, Group 2: India vs. TBC (Qualifier A1)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Sat, Mar 29 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 25th Match, Group 1: New Zealand vs. TBC (Qualifier B1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 26th Match, Group 1: England vs. South Africa
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Sun, Mar 30 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 27th Match, Group 2: Pakistan vs. TBC (Qualifier A1)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 28th Match, Group 2: Australia vs. India
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Mon, Mar 31 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 29th Match, Group 1: England vs. TBC (Qualifier B1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 30th Match, Group 1: New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Tue, Apr 1 5:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 31st Match, Group 2: Australia vs. TBC (Qualifier A1)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:30 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 32nd Match, Group 2: Pakistan vs. West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Thu, Apr 3 9:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 1st Semifinal: TBC vs. TBC (1st Group 1 vs. 2nd Group 2)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Fri, Apr 4 9:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 2nd Semifinal: TBC vs. TBC (1st Group 2 vs. 2nd Group 1)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Sun, Apr 6 9:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 Final: TBC vs. TBC
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
ESPN3 will also carry four warm-up matches from the ICC World Twenty20. They include:
Date Time (ET) Match
Mon, Mar 17 5:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 Warm-Up Match: New Zealand vs. Pakistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 Warm-Up Match: Sri Lanka vs. India
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Wed, Mar 19 5:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 Warm-Up Match: Sri Lanka vs. West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
9:00 a.m. ICC World Twenty20 Warm-Up Match: England vs. India
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Additionally, ESPN3 will deliver the ICC Women's World Twenty20 semifinals and final:
Date Time (ET) Match
Thu, Apr 3 4:30 a.m. ICC Women's World Twenty20 1st Semifinal
Sylhet Stadium
Fri, Apr 4 4:30 a.m. ICC Women's World Twenty20 2nd Semifinal
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Sun, Apr 6 4:30 a.m. ICC Women's World Twenty20 Final
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Extensive Global Multiplatform Coverage from ESPNcricinfo
Online, ESPNcricinfo will provide a specially dedicated tournament section with the latest news, match previews and reports, plus in-depth features. ESPNcricinfo's editorial team will also include writers from three leading countries competing in the tournament: Alan Gardner (England), Abhishek Purohit (India) and Mohammad Isam (Bangladesh). Feature video content, including diaries, will also come from ESPNcricinfo's Arya Yuyutsu reporting on-site in Bangladesh. Additionally, ESPNcricinfo will take a look at the associate countries - Ireland, Netherlands, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Nepal - who will play a qualifying event just before the main tournament begins.
During the tournament, ESPNcricinfo will deliver match reports, press conferences and quote pieces, feature articles, daily match stats pieces and more. It will also produce "Match Point," a video series featuring live studio analysis from New Zealand legend Martin Crowe and former South African Test player Daryll Cullinan for every match of the tournament starting March 21. For the India games, Crowe and Cullinan will be joined by former Indian cricketers Ajit Agarkar via Skype and Rahul Dravid live from the grounds in Bangladesh. The videos will include match previews, innings breaks and post-match analysis for every game. Specific clips will also be contextually integrated throughout the site on relevant story pages. Other highlights:
· Press Conferences - will be delivered for every match and embedded across the site to accompany relevant stories.
· ZaltZone - a weekly take on the tournament from well-known cricket comic Andy Zaltzman.
· Diary - regular commentary pieces from video correspondents on the ground capturing the sights and sounds of the tournament.
On mobile, fans will be able to access ESPNcricinfo's mobile apps on iOS and Android devices, with an enhanced user interface allowing for personalization by favorite teams and players. The app offers a "Full Screen" mode which delivers content on a full screen, and, a Specials section featuring content specially highlighted for the app. The app, alongside the mobile Web, features all the key content that sports fans expect from ESPNcricinfo including comprehensive live game coverage, up-to-the-minute match pictures and commentary and match stats.
About ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Apple TV and Roku. The network is currently available to more than 85 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.
About ESPNcricinfo
ESPNcricinfo is the world's leading online destination for cricket and among the top five most-visited single-sport online destinations in the world. Founded in 1993 and acquired by ESPN in 2007, ESPNcricinfo is available to cricket fans through online media and on a host of mobile platforms and handheld devices. ESPNcricinfo continues to grow, averaging more than 9 million unique users monthly in the past 12 months (up 22 percent year-on-year). Across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa the site averaged more than 2 million monthly unique users during the same period.
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