KEY POINTS
- ICC reveals the full schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
- 20 teams are divided into five groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the Super Eight stage.
- Pakistan and India are in the same group, with their high-voltage clash scheduled for Feb 15 at Colombo.
- The Super Eight runs from Feb 21 to Mar 1, followed by semi-finals on Mar 4 and 5, and the final on Mar 8.
DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the full schedule and groupings for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
The tournament will feature 20 teams divided into five groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the Super Eight stage, which will have two groups of four teams each.
Defending champions India have been drawn in a marquee group alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, the Netherlands, Namibia, and the United States of America (USA).
Sri Lanka faces a challenging group that includes Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman. Other groups feature England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal, as well as South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, UAE, and Canada.
Pakistan’s campaign will begin with a clash against the Netherlands in Colombo on February 7, while India takes on the USA in Mumbai the same day.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan group-stage showdown is scheduled for February 15 at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.
Both teams will play their matches in neutral venues under the Fusion Formula, designed to avoid India-Pakistan encounters in their home countries during ICC events for three years.
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The Super Eight stage will commence on February 21 in Colombo and conclude on March 1 in Kolkata.
The semi-finals are slated for March 3 and 5, while the grand finale will be held on March 8 in either Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on the progression of the teams.
Group Stage Schedule Highlights
February 7: Pakistan vs Netherlands (Colombo), India vs USA (Mumbai), West Indies vs Bangladesh (Kolkata)
February 10: Pakistan vs USA (Colombo), India vs Namibia (Delhi)
February 15: India vs Pakistan (Colombo)
February 18: Pakistan vs Namibia (Colombo), India vs Netherlands (Ahmedabad)
Super Eight Round Key Matches:
February 21: Y2 vs Y3 (Colombo), Y1 vs Y4 (Kandy), X1 vs X4 (Ahmedabad)
February 23-28: Matches across Colombo, Kandy, Chennai, and Delhi
March 1: X1 vs X3 (Kolkata), X2 vs X4 (Delhi)
Knock-out Fixtures:
March 4: Semi-final 1 (Colombo/Kolkata)
March 5: Semi-final 2 (Mumbai)
March 8: Final (Colombo/Ahmedabad)
This schedule sets the stage for one of the most exciting T20 World Cups in history, with the Pakistan-India clash being a focal point for fans worldwide.
