Staff Reporter
THE ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the tenth edition of cricket’s shortest and most explosive global format, is set to take place from 7 February to 8 March 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. This will mark India’s first time hosting the men’s T20 World Cup since 2016, while Sri Lanka returns as a co-host after more than a decade.
The tournament promises high-octane cricket, dramatic finishes, and unforgettable moments, with 20 international teams competing across multiple venues in the subcontinent. The official match schedule is expected to be released in the coming months.
Qualified Teams: India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, United States, West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman and United Arab Emirates.
Tournament Structure: Group Stage → Super Eight → Knockouts → Semi-finals & Final
The 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five. Each team plays four matches in the group stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Eight, followed by semi-finals and the final.
Group Stage:
Group A: India, Pakistan, Netherlands, Nepal, Canada
Group B: Sri Lanka, Australia, Italy, Namibia, United States
Group C: England, South Africa, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Ireland
Group D: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, Zimbabwe, New Zealand
The Super Eight will see the top teams compete for a place in the semi-finals, culminating in a final to determine the champion.
Tentative Schedule Highlights
While the ICC has yet to officially confirm all fixtures, a provisional schedule provides fans with a glimpse of key matchups. Fixtures, dates, and venues are subject to change.
Group A
India vs Netherlands – Match 1
Fri, 7 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Pakistan vs Nepal – Match 2
Fri, 7 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Rajiv Gandhi Intl Stadium, Hyderabad
India vs Canada – Match 3
Sat, 8 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Pakistan vs Netherlands – Match 4
Sat, 8 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Rajiv Gandhi Intl Stadium, Hyderabad
India vs Pakistan – Match 5
Sun, 9 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Nepal vs Canada – Match 6
Sun, 9 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Rajiv Gandhi Intl Stadium, Hyderabad
India vs Nepal – Match 7
Mon, 10 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Rajiv Gandhi Intl Stadium, Hyderabad
Pakistan vs Canada – Match 8
Mon, 10 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Netherlands vs Nepal – Match 9
Tue, 11 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
India vs Canada – Match 10
Tue, 11 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Group B
Sri Lanka vs Italy – Match 1
Wed, 12 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Australia vs United States – Match 2
Wed, 12 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Sri Lanka vs Namibia – Match 3
Thu, 13 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Australia vs Italy – Match 4
Thu, 13 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Sri Lanka vs United States – Match 5
Fri, 14 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Australia vs Namibia – Match 6
Fri, 14 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Sri Lanka vs Namibia – Match 7
Sat, 15 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Australia vs United States – Match 8
Sat, 15 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Italy vs Namibia – Match 9
Sun, 16 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Australia vs United States – Match 10
Sun, 16 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Group C
England vs Oman – Match 1
Mon, 17 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
South Africa vs UAE – Match 2
Mon, 17 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
England vs Ireland – Match 3
Tue, 18 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
South Africa vs Oman – Match 4
Tue, 18 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
England vs UAE – Match 5
Wed, 19 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
South Africa vs Ireland – Match 6
Wed, 19 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Oman vs UAE – Match 7
Thu, 20 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
England vs Ireland – Match 8
Thu, 20 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
South Africa vs UAE – Match 9
Fri, 21 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Ireland vs Oman – Match 10
Fri, 21 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Group D
Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe – Match 1
Sat, 22 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Bangladesh vs New Zealand – Match 2
Sat, 22 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Afghanistan vs West Indies – Match 3
Sun, 23 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe – Match 4
Sun, 23 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
West Indies vs New Zealand – Match 5
Mon, 24 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan – Match 6
Mon, 24 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
West Indies vs Zimbabwe – Match 7
Tue, 25 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
New Zealand vs Afghanistan – Match 8
Tue, 25 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Bangladesh vs West Indies – Match 9
Wed, 26 Feb 2026 – 3:00 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
New Zealand vs Zimbabwe – Match 10
Wed, 26 Feb 2026 – 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Super Eight: 23–28 Feb – Top teams from the groups compete across major stadiums in India.
Semi-finals: 5–6 March – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad & Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Final: 8 March – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Fans can anticipate high-intensity matches, upsets, and thrilling finishes. The ICC will provide live scores and updates, with points tables refreshed after each match. With 20 teams competing for T20 supremacy, the 2026 edition is set to be one of the most competitive tournaments in recent history.
