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The United States will face Paraguay, Australia and the winner of a UEFA playoff featuring Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo after a relatively favorable group stage draw for the co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup.

That was the result Friday after soccer’s biggest competition took a major step closer to reality with a star-studded draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

The opening game for the U.S. men’s national team in Group D will be against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Mexico will kick off the tournament a day earlier in Mexico City against South Africa — a repeat of the opening game when South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010.

Group A also includes South Korea and the winner of playoff games among the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark and North Macedonia.

The other co-host, Canada, will begin in Toronto on June 12, with a potential blockbuster clash against Italy, if the Italians make it through a UEFA playoff route that also features Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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The United States’ other group games will take place in Seattle against Australia on June 19 and against the UEFA playoff winner back at Sofi Stadium on June 25. The U.S. have positive recent experience against Paraguay and Australia, having beaten both by the same 2-1 score in recent friendlies.

“We played recently against Paraguay and Australia, so what we know is very fresh and the fourth it will be against a very good team in Europe,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino told Fox.

“I think we need to be optimistic, but as we know the teams, we will see what is going on in few months.

“We need to show respect to our opponent, but we cannot win before we play. That is going to be our message to players. We need to compete better than Paraguay; going to be difficult. We need to be strong in our beliefs, thinking big, but we need to be motivated to play with these guys [in the group stage] that will be really tough.”

The U.S. reached the semifinals at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and have gotten as far as the quarterfinals only one other time, in 2002.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed prior to the draw for the 2026 tournament at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Hector Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

As co-hosts, the U.S. were seeded in Pot 1 and avoided other top seeds Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, as well as fellow host nations Canada and Mexico.

A record 64 nations participated in the draw to determine which 48 teams will take the tournament field this summer. Italy are among 22 nations competing in playoffs for the final six berths to be decided March 31.

With 48 teams in the tournament, the top two in each group — plus eight of the 12 third-place finishers — will advance to the 32-team, single-elimination knockout round.

The top four teams in the FIFA ranking — Spain, Argentina, France and England — were drawn in such a way that, should they win their groups, they will not face each other before the semifinals.

Defending champion Argentina, likely led by Lionel Messi in a sixth World Cup appearance, were handed a kind draw — opening against Algeria, before facing off with Austria and Jordan.

England were handed the toughest opening assignment of the top seeds, with a rematch of the 2018 semifinal against Croatia. Ghana and Panama make up the rest of Group L.

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France will open their World Cup against Senegal — just as they did as defending champion in 2002 when the African team pulled off a stunning 1-0 win against the defending champions.

The French and longtime rivals Germany — who played a famous semifinal in 1982 — could meet as early as the round of 16 this time should each win their group.

France were drawn into Group I and will also face Norway, meaning a potential showdown between two of the world’s great strikers — Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. Germany were placed in Group E with Curaçao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

Brazil, Morocco and Scotland will be in a group together — just as they were in 1998. That was the last time Scotland qualified for a World Cup. The Tartan Army finished last in the group that time. Haiti complete the group this time around.

Top-ranked Spain, the 2010 champion, face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H.

Retired stars Tom Brady of the NFL, Shaquille O’Neal of the NBA and Wayne Gretzky of the NHL, along with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, assisted in the draw run by former England captain Rio Ferdinand and broadcaster Samantha Johnson.

For the first time, the match schedule is not being released on the same day as the draw. Instead FIFA will announce the full schedule at another live event Saturday in order to take into account both the differing weather conditions and time zones for all teams and fans.

All games from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S., which is using 11 NFL stadiums.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Lionel Messi and Argentina will open their title defense against Algeria (Image credit: AFP) NEW DELHI: Defending champions Argentina and European powerhouse Spain received favourable group draws for the 2026 World Cup during a star-studded ceremony that also saw U.S. President Donald Trump awarded FIFAâ€s new peace prize.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The draw, held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, marked the official countdown to the expanded 48-team tournament, now just six months away.

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Lionel Messi and Argentina will open their title defense against Algeria, with further group-stage fixtures against Austria and tournament debutants Jordan in Group J.Spain, among the leading contenders and current European champions, will begin their campaign against first-time qualifiers Cape Verde before facing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group H.”All the praise will not weaken us, quite the opposite,” insisted Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. “We want to do something big at this World Cup and that means making sure we do well in the group stage, then carrying on from there.”Thomas Tuchel’s England, seeking to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966, will hope to win Group L that features beaten 2018 finalists Croatia as well as Ghana and Panama.Two-time winners France, meanwhile, face awkward tests against Senegal and Erling Haaland’s Norway in Group I, which will be completed by an intercontinental play-off winner from either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname.For the first time, the draw was done in such a way as to ensure the four highest-ranked nations were kept apart — Spain, Argentina, France and England cannot meet before the semi-finals, if all four top their groups.However, the path to that stage — with an extra knockout round now following the group phase — looks perilous for some of the contenders.If the top seeds all finish first in their groups, England could, for example, find themselves playing co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16 and then Brazil in the quarter-finals, before a last-four clash with Argentina.The tournament will be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, with 16 more teams added to the global showpiece, up from the 32 nations involved in 2022. That means a total of 104 matches, compared to 64 games last time.While the US will host the majority of matches including the final at the MetLife Stadium outside New York, three of the 16 venues will be in Mexico and two in Canada.The three hosts have experienced turbulent relations since Trump came to power but he brushed that aside. “We’ve worked closely with those two countries, and the coordination and friendship and relationship has been outstanding,” Trump said after receiving his peace prize from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.”It is truly one of the great honors of my life. It is such an honor to be with Gianni. He has done such an incredible job,” Trump added.Trump seized the limelight, even dancing when the Village People performed, but Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum were also in attendance.The event was co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and American actor and comedian Kevin Hart. NFL legend Tom Brady, ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal were among the stars who helped conduct the draw.Co-hosts Mexico will take on South Africa in Group A in the opening game of the tournament at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil and surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco came out together in Group C, which also features Scotland and Haiti.Germany’s opponents in Group E will be Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Caribbean minnows Curacao, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will face Uzbekistan, Colombia and a play-off winner.Co-hosts the United States got a manageable draw, with Paraguay, Australia and a European play-off winner in Group D.The top two teams in each group advance to the last 32, joined by the eight best third-placed teams.”It will be the greatest World Cup ever,” Infantino claimed. “This is like 104 Super Bowls in one month — this is the magnitude of what we are organizing.”Because of the complexity, teams will only learn the full details of their match venues and kick-off times on Saturday.The 12 groups for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026 following Friday’s draw in Washington:Group AMexico, South Africa, South Korea, a qualifier Group BCanada, a qualifier, Qatar, SwitzerlandGroup CBrazil, Morocco, Haiti, ScotlandGroup DUnited States, Paraguay, Australia, a qualifierGroup EGermany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, EcuadorGroup FNetherlands, Japan, a qualifier, TunisiaGroup GBelgium, Egypt, Iran, New ZealandGroup HSpain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, UruguayGroup IFrance, Senegal, qualifier, NorwayGroup JArgentina, Algeria, Austria, JordanGroup KPortugal, a qualifier, Uzbekistan, ColombiaGroup LEngland, Croatia, Ghana, Panama(With inputs from AFP)

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Carse, usually so reliable, had been as guilty as anyone of spraying the ball around Brisbane – he conceded 113 runs from his 17 overs.

And it was indicative of England’s situation that the Durham man was asked to bowl a spell of bouncers in the night session, when usually the floodlights would offer the kind of movement to encourage orthodox seam bowling.

With Green stepping back to flay an expected short ball, he was bluffed by a Carse yorker that splattered the stumps. From the next ball, Carey gloved a venomous lifter, only for Ben Duckett to grass the vital catch moving forward from gully.

Still, in the same over, Carse got the crucial wicket of Smith thanks to Jacks’ moment of magic. Smith tried to drag a pull around the corner only for Jacks, at backward square leg, to fling himself to his right and cling on with his right hand.

Inglis and Carey countered, boundaries continued to flow and Duckett put down another chance – this time Inglis at gully off the bowling off Stokes. Three balls later, Stokes removed Inglis’ middle stump.

There was still time for England to create two more chances, and for Carey and Neser to add 49 from only 55 balls.

Neser, on six, drilled Jofra Archer to cover where Carse failed to cling on. Carey had 25 when he slashed Gus Atkinson between Smith and first-slip Joe Root. Root dived to his right, but it was the static Smith who should have made the effort.

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WWE

Ethan Page will be defending his North American Championship against AAA’s Mr. Iguana at “WWE NXT” Deadline.Â

Page has been North American Champion for 190 days since dethroning current NXT Champion Ricky Saints in May, having since gone on to defend the title on eight occasions as well as adding the AAA Mixed Tag Team Championship to his collection alongside Chelsea Green.Â

His male contemporary in the match to become Mixed Tag Team Champion at AAA Alianzas was none other than Iguana, defending alongside La Hiedra, and Page similarly emerged victorious in a rematch last month.Â

With that, and the fact that John Cena had omitted him from the Iron Survivor line-up at Deadline, Page was shown during “NXT” telling Ava that he intended to take the night off. He got into his car and looked set to leave as Ava told him her plans to have him defend the North American title, and he then screamed as it became clear he was sharing the car with his incumbent challenger. Iguana then drove away in Page’s car as he called for Ava to call the police, bringing the segment to a close as she mocked him.Â

Page will be defending the title against a AAA star for the second time in a row, having last defended the title against El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. in a Day of the Dead match at Halloween Havoc.Â

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Cleveland Guardians Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz will face federal trial in May over an alleged scheme in which the two pitchers are accused of accepting payments to throw specific pitches during MLB games to ensure the success of prop bets.

Per the Associated Press, U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto said Tuesday that jury selection for the case is scheduled to start May 4 in a New York federal court in Brooklyn. The trial will commence within the next week.

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Clase and Ortiz were placed on “non-disciplinary paid leave” by MLB in July due to an investigation into the alleged illegal betting activity. They haven’t played baseball since.

They were arrested in November on charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

They both pleaded not guilty and have since been released on bond. Lawyers for both players have denied the accusations.

Emmanuel Clase, seen here outside a Brooklyn federal courthouse on Nov. 13.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

What Clase, Ortiz are accused of

In a 23-page indictment, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Clase and Ortiz conspired with two unnamed bettors in their native Dominican Republic to rig prop bets on what pitches the pitchers would throw. These were usually balls instead of strikes, per prosecutors.

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From the indictment:

“Usually, they agreed that CLASE would throw balls [instead of strikes]and slower “slider” pitches [rather than faster cut fastball “cutter” pitches] — and often on the first pitches of an at-bat when CLASE was brought into a game as a relief pitcher.”

Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, when the story first broke in July, two pitches thrown by Ortiz in June were flagged by a betting-integrity firm after they received unusual gambling activity.

One of those pitches was a ball thrown way outside that bounced in the dirt and to the backstop against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 27.

According to prosecutors, Clase started informing the alleged conspiring bettors about his pitches in 2023. Per the indictment, Ortiz joined the scheme in June of this year.

Prosecutors say the alleged scheme netted at least $450,000 in winnings for the alleged conspirators.

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How much could betting scandal cost Clase, Ortiz?

Clase, 27, is a three-time All-Star and one of the best closers in baseball when he’s eligible to play. He has a five-year, $20 million contract with the Guardians that runs through 2026.

The Guardians hold $10 million team options on his contract for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Assuming he maintained his level of play, Clase would be due a massive contract when he’d next be eligible to sign one.

But Clase’s baseball future is unclear, as is the status of his contract with the Guardians. He has put at risk tens of millions of dollars, at a minimum, with his alleged involvement in a six-figure betting scheme involving multiple parties.

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Ortiz, 26, was in his fourth MLB season in 2025. He has $2.5 million in career earningsand was playing on a one-year, $820,000 contract.

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NEW YORK — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are facing a May trial on federal charges that they took bribes to help gamblers betting on their pitches.

U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto on Tuesday said jury selection would tentatively begin May 4 in Brooklyn federal court, with the trial opening the following week or sooner.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sherman told the judge at the brief hearing that prosecutors anticipate the trial could last two weeks.

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He said that both sides have been in discussions since the pitchers were arrested last month but that they have not yet talked about a possible plea deal in the case to avoid trial.

Matsumoto initially proposed a February trial date, but prosecutors and defense lawyers pushed for a spring start.

Sherman said prosecutors began providing defense lawyers with evidence and other materials this week in anticipation of a trial, including hundreds of gigabytes of files pulled from a number of electronic devices.

Clase, Ortiz and their lawyers declined to comment outside the courtroom. They’re due back in court Jan. 15.

The two have been out on bail since pleading not guilty last month to wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

According to prosecutors, the two accepted thousands of dollars in bribes to help two unnamed gamblers in their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of their pitches.

The prosecutors allege that Clase, the Guardians’ star closer, began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 and then recruited Ortiz into the scheme earlier this year.

Lawyers for the men have denied the charges. Ortiz’s lawyer has maintained that payments between his client and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for legal activities, not payoffs.

Clase, 27, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year who is on the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract.

Ortiz, 26, earned a $782,600 salary this year as a starting pitcher for Cleveland.

The two pitchers have been on nondisciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB began investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched.

The Guardians open spring training in February. The team’s home opener is April 3.

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Just because Saraya has departed All Elite Wrestling, it doesnâ€t mean that sheâ€s given up on having another match with Mercedes Moné.

Former AEW star Saraya recently spoke with WrestleZone (via PokerScout). When asked if an eventual return to WWE is out of the question, if sheâ€d be open to working the independent scene to keep her connection to the wrestling business alive, Saraya said sheâ€s thought about plenty of scenarios surrounding the indies and pointed out the great work that Mercedes Moné has been doing across the globe outside of AEW.

“Yeah, I always think about different scenarios,†Saraya admitted. “And with the Indies, Iâ€ve had a lot of indie companies reach out to me constantly. Like, my inbox is always full with indie people wanting to book me and stuff. But I wanted to take this year to do nothing. Thatâ€s not saying that I wouldnâ€t take that opportunity in 2026.

“Weâ€re keeping the options open for if I do want to come back. And I do want to get back in the ring again. So I potentially would go to the Indies. Absolutely. Iâ€m seeing what Mercedes Moné is doing. And sheâ€s elevating every company that sheâ€s going in, and sheâ€s doing wonderful things. So maybe Iâ€ll hop on that Moné Train.â€

Saraya names her Womenâ€s Wrestling Mount Rushmore

Also, while speaking to PokerScout, Saraya revealed her womenâ€s wrestling Mount Rushmore, although she had a very difficult time picking the fourth name.

“Bull Nakano, Lita, just because I was so obsessed with her when I was younger and she was just so edgy and so cool, Nattie Neidhart 100% would be on my Mount Rushmore, she is one of the best wrestlers youâ€ll ever come across, I love her,†Saraya said. “Itâ€s hard to only pick four, itâ€s really hard because I love Toni Storm so much and I think what sheâ€s doing is so incredible, itâ€s really hard because I love Rhea Ripley too.

“I feel like what sheâ€s doing is incredible for the world of wrestling. So thereâ€s a lot of women, I canâ€t pick just four, but at least three because I donâ€t know who to put in that last spot, Nattie, Bull Nakano and Lita. Itâ€s such a hard question, I get asked that numerous times, a lot of the women are just fantastic and just doing such wonderful things for the business. I donâ€t know, because I could even put AJ in there and I could put anybody in that spot and it would be accurate.â€

READ MORE: Saraya Names Which NXT Stars Are The Future of WWEâ€s Womenâ€s Division

What do you make of Sarayaâ€s comments? Would you like to see her face off against Mercedes Moné on an independent wrestling show in 2026? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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After missing 14 games with a calf strain, Anthony Davis is set to make his return to the Mavericks lineup Friday in Los Angeles — and face the Lakers for the first time since the franchise traded him away last February for Luka Doncic.

Davis pointed toward this game as a return, and his status was moved to questionable on Thursday, a sign he would play. On Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news. This was the game Davis had been pointing to for a return, as he told Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News: “You know what game I want to play. But we’ll see. We’ll have a conversation and see what makes the most sense with the medical and coaching staff.”

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Davis played in just five games this season before his calf injury sidelined him, but AD averaged 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game when he did play, and the Mavericks were 2-3. They went 3-11 without him in the lineup. While he will play on Friday against the Lakers, he will not be cleared to play the back-to-back against the Clippers on Saturday.

Davis’ return to play was delayed due to a reported disagreement between Davis and his medical advisors, and the Mavericks’ medical staff, which wanted him to wait longer before returning. Dallas governor/owner Patrick Dumont stepped into the disagreement and sided with the Mavericks’ medical team.

Davis likely goes up against the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton up front. Ayton missed the last Lakers game with a knee contusion but has also been moved to questionable and is expected to play on Friday.

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Nov 26, 2025, 04:44 PM ET

LAS VEGAS — Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, who was off to a hot start before injuring his wrist last month, participated in the morning skate Wednesday and will play for Vegas against the Ottawa Senators.

Stone was placed on injured reserve Oct. 20. He had 13 points in his first six games before getting hurt.

“It’s good to have his energy back,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He’s good on the bench. He’s a leader. It’s just nice to have him back. He makes our team better.”

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Stone has been skating with the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson.

“If I didn’t have that, I’d probably be looking more at Friday,” Stone said of his return. “Everything’s healed. I got the practices I needed. I’m ready to go.”

Stone was on the top line when he was injured, but will be on the third-line center against the Senators, with Mitch Marner moving to wing.

Braeden Bowman, a 22-year-old rookie, will remain on the top line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Bowman has four goals and two assists in seven games.

Cassidy, however, didn’t rule out returning Stone to the first line.

“We’re going to try it this way to start,” Cassidy said. “You might see both tonight.”

Stone will replace Bowman on the top power play unit, which was 9 of 24 when him in the lineup. The Golden Knights then converted just three of their next 34 opportunities.

But they’ve experienced a resurgence with Bowman on the power play, going 6 of 19 in the past six games.

This is not the first time the 33-year-old Stone has been injured in recent seasons. He played 66 games last season, his most since the 2018-19 season.

“Every injury is frustrating,” Stone said. “I don’t enjoy rehabbing. I’ve unfortunately gotten good at it. I understand the best way to go about it, but no rehab’s fun. I don’t wish it on anyone. I’m excited to be back.”

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Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, Namibia

Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman

Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy

Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE

All start times BST

7 February: Pakistan v Netherlands (Colombo, 5.30), West Indies v Bangladesh (Kolkata, 9.30), India v USA (Mumbai, 13.30)

8 February: New Zealand v Afghanistan (Chennai, 5.30), England v Nepal (Mumbai, 9.30), Sri Lanka v Ireland (Colombo, 13.30)

9 February: Bangladesh v Italy (Kolkata, 5.30), Zimbabwe v Oman (Colombo, 9.30), South Africa v Canada (Ahmedabad, 13.30)

10 February: Netherlands v Namibia (Delhi, 5.30), New Zealand v UAE (Chennai, 9.30), Pakistan v USA (Colombo, 13.30)

11 February: South Africa v Afghanistan (Ahmedabad, 5.30), Australia v Ireland (Colombo, 9.30), England v West Indies (Mumbai, 13.30)

12 February: Sri Lanka v Oman (Kandy, 5.30), Nepal v Italy (Mumbai, 9.30), India v Namibia (Delhi, 13.30)

13 February: Australia v Zimbabwe (Colombo, 5.30), Canada v UAE (Delhi, 9.30), USA v Netherlands (Chennai, 13.30)

14 February: Ireland v Oman (Colombo, 5.30), England v Bangladesh (Kolkata, 9.30), New Zealand v South Africa (Ahmedabad, 13.30)

15 February: West Indies v Nepal (Mumbai, 5.30), USA v Namibia (Chennai, 9.30), India v Pakistan (Colombo, 13.30)

16 February: Afghanistan v UAE (Delhi, 5.30), England v Italy (Kolkata, 9.30), Australia v Sri Lanka (Kandy, 13.30)

17 February: New Zealand v Canada (Chennai, 5.30), Ireland v Zimbabwe (Kandy, 9.30), Bangladesh v Nepal (Mumbai, 13.30)

18 February: South Africa v UAE (Delhi, 5.30), Pakistan v Namibia (Colombo, 9.30), India v Netherlands (Ahmedabad, 13.30)

19 February: West Indies v Italy (Kolkata, 5.30), Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe (Colombo, 9.30), Afghanistan v Canada (Chennai, 13.30)

20 February: Australia v Oman (Kandy, 13.30)

21 February: Y2 v Y3 (Colombo, 13.30)

22 February: Y1 v Y4 (Kandy, 9.30), X1 v X4 (Ahmedabad,13.30)

23 February: X2 v X3 (Mumbai,13.30)

24 February: Y1 v Y3 (Kandy, 13.30)

25 February: Y2 v Y4 (Colombo,13.30)

26 February: X3 v X4 (Ahmedabad, 9.30), X1 v X2 (Chennai, 13.30)

27 February: Y1 v Y2 (Colombo,13.30)

28 February: Y3 v Y4 (Kandy, 13.30)

1 March: X2 v X4 (Delhi, 9.30), X1 v X3 (Kolkata, 13.30)

4 March: Semi-final 1 (Kolkata or Colombo,13.30)

5 March: Semi-final 2 (Mumbai, 13.30)

8 March: Final (Ahmedabad or Colombo,13.30)

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