To win in ICC tournaments, you will have to go through India: Darren Sammy on T20 World Cup 2021

New Delhi, Aug 17: The ICC has announced the schedule for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 starting October 17 in Oman and the UAE. The tournament that will see participation from 16 nations has been divided into two rounds.

The first round kicks off on October 17 in Oman, with the hosts taking on Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh playing Scotland. Group A consists of 2014 champions Sri Lanka, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Namibia, while Group B has Bangladesh, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, and Oman.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 12 stage. The Super 12s -- round two of the tournament, with two groups -- will begin on October 23.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Schedule: Complete Fixtures of All Matches, Dates, Time Table and Venues

Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy - who lifted the title in the 2016 T20 WC in India - while speaking on Star Sports show Game Plan: ICC T20 WC Schedule said Team India is going to pose a major threat to all the teams in the upcoming competition and claimed every side will have to go through India if it wants to progress in the tournament.

"India is the team to beat. We have heard Dinesh Karthik talk about it - the experience, their T20 players come into the international cricket with, whether it is from India's domestic T20 cricket or the IPL, you see all the countries go there and get the experience. Apart from the World Cup, I think this is if not, the most pressure situation (tournament), where the players will be under and India has that formula.

"In 2016, when we left our homes, me, the coach, and all the guys said - in order to win this tournament, you will have to go through India. Whatever stage it is, you will have to go through India, whether it is the final, the semi-final," Sammy said.

Speaking about the marquee event getting shifted to the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country, Sammy said the experience of playing in the IPL 2021, just before the start of the ICC event will also keep Indian players in good stead.

"Yes, it (the tournament) has shifted to the UAE, but don't forget, before that, all the Indian players would have completed the IPL and got used to these conditions. It is not surprising to me that the Indian cricket board chose this place, at this time, to complete the IPL and it will also benefit the other teams. But you will have to go through India in any tournament. As you have seen in the last few ICC tournaments, whether it is the Test Championship or ODI, you will have to go through India in order to win," Sammy added further.

The tournament is being hosted by the BCCI in the UAE and Oman since a third wave of the COVID-19 is being anticipated at that time of the tournament. India are pitted with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and New Zealand in the Group stage.