How it all works

The eight teams will play in two pools of four with the top two teams from each pool progressing to the semi-finals, where the winner of each pool will play the runner-up in the other in fixtures taking place on 4 and 5 October. The winners will then meet in the final on 7 October. All 12 pool games will take place at Galle, on the southern tip of Sri Lanka. The knockout games will all take place just over 100km up the west coast in Colombo.

Pool A

Teams Australia, India, England, Pakistan

Who's the favourite to go through? The defending champions, Australia, are expected to progress to the semi-final stage but it will be close as to who joins them between England and India. England, winners in 2009, were dumped out of the 2010 competition in the pool stages whereas India have never failed to reach the semi-final stage and will be confident in familiar conditions. Pakistan have lost all three of their pool games in both World Twenty20 tournaments to date.

Ones to watch England's Sarah Taylor is the ICC's female T20 cricketer of the year after scoring 340 runs in the voting period at an average of 48.57 while also claiming 11 dismissals behind the stumps. Australia will be hoping their leading wicket taker in T20 internationals, Lisa Sthalekar, comes to the fore with her off-breaks. India's captain, Mithali Raj, who currently tops the ICC International batting rankings, will be a threat. She has scored 752 runs in T20 internationals at an average of over 30.

What they're saying on Twitter... Very good performance in the Warm Up game by the girls today...nice way to start trip!! #wt20" @Lottie2323 – England's captain, Charlotte Edwards, after England beat South Africa by 121 runs

Fixtures 27 Sep: England v Pakistan; Australia v India. 29 Sep: Australia v Pakistan; India v England. 1 Oct India v Pakistan; Australia v England

Pool B

Teams: New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa

Who's the favourite to go through? Sri Lanka will be hoping to make the most of home conditions but the firepower of New Zealand and West Indies should help them both progress. South Africa, like Pakistan in Pool A, have yet to win a game in the pool stages of an international T20 tournament and are extreme outsiders to reach a semi-final.

Ones to watch New Zealand's Nicola Browne was named player of the tournament in 2010 and with 33 wickets at 17.03 in T20 cricket, she will be looking to make a big impact. Elsewhere West Indies will be hoping Deandra Dottin can repeat the heroics that saw her become the first woman to score an international hundred when she smashed, in Chris Gayle style, a 38-ball ton against South Africa in St Kitts during the 2010 tournament.

Fixtures 26 Sep: Sri Lanka v South Africa; New Zealand v West Indies. 28 Sep: New Zealand v South Africa; Sri Lanka v West Indies. 30 Sep: West Indies v South Africa; Sri Lanka v New Zealand

What they're saying on Twitter... New Zealand captain Suzie Bates (@SuzieWBates) ahead of her team's first game against West Indies: "Short, sharp training done and dusted and the @White_Ferns are ready for game day tomorrow. Dramatic turnaround with the weather in Galle!"

South African captain Mignon du Preez (@MdpMinx22) after her team's tour to Bangladesh: "Last day in Bangladesh before leaving for WC T20 in SL, been a good few weeks with the team...Looking forward to SL now..."