The ICC World Twenty20 2009 will be contested by 12 teams which have been 'seeded' and divided into four groups:

The top two seeded teams are allocated slots in the Super Eight stage regardless of where they finish in their group. The Super Eight stage is not determined on winners and runners-up.

For example, India are designated A1 and Bangladesh A2 in their group. If they both qualify then, regardless of who wins the group, India will go into Group E and Bangladesh Group F. If, however, Ireland 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.