India paired with South Africa at World T20

St. Lucia:

India have been seeded sixth in next year's ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies and will open their campaign on May 1.

India have got a relatively easy first round as they have been placed in Group C along with South Africa and a qualifying team yet to be decided.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men, who had a disastrous campaign at the last T20 World Cup in England earlier this year, will face a qualifier in their tournament opener in St Lucia and then will round off their group affair against South Africa on the next day.

Defending champions Pakistan have got the top billing in the event followed by Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Hosts West Indies are seeded fourth, while England occupy the fifth place, a release said on Friday.

Interestingly, Australia have been seeded in the ninth spot behind New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the Indian eves are seeded fourth in the women's edition of the World T20 which will be played simultaneously.

In the women's edition of the event, India share Group A along with New Zealand, arch-rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Indian women will take on the Kiwis in their first match at St Kitts on May 6.