The ICC World Twenty20 2010 will be contested by 12 teams which have been 'seeded' and divided into four groups:

Group A Group B Group C Group D
Pakistan (1) Sri Lanka (2) South Africa (3) West Indies (4)
Bangladesh (8) New Zealand (7) India (6) England (5)
Australia (9) Zimbabwe (10) Afghanistan (11) Ireland (12)

Super Eight
Group E Group F    
A1: Pakistan B1: Sri Lanka    
B2: New Zealand A2: Australia    
C1: South Africa C2: India    
D2: England D1: West Indies    

If the top two seeded teams do qualify they will be seeded in position 1 and 2 as specified regardless of whether they finish first or second in their group, unless they are knocked out by team 3 in their group. In this instance, team 3 replaces the position of the team they knock out.

For example, Pakistan are designated A1 and Bangladesh A2 in their group. If they both qualify then, regardless of who wins the group, Pakistan will go into Group E and Bangladesh Group F. If, however, Australia qualifies instead of, say, Bangladesh, they will take their designation as A2 and move into Group F.

This has been done so that supporters who buy Super Eight tickets can be assured of knowing who they will be watching - assuming their team qualifies!

Each team will play every other team in its group.

No points from the Group stage will be carried forward to the Super Eight series.

The top two teams from each group in the Super Eight series of the competition will progress to the semi-finals where the team placed first in Group E will play the team placed second in Group F and the team placed first in Group F will play the team placed second in Group E.

The winners of the semi-finals will contest the final.