The cricketing universe is preparing for one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the decade as India and Sri Lanka jointly host the landmark T20 World Cup 2026. Scheduled across February and March 2026, this mega tournament will see 20 international teams compete in 55 high-voltage matches across eight iconic stadiums in South Asia. From fierce rivalries to surprise upsets, the tournament promises non-stop entertainment from the opening ball to the final delivery.
With global superstars, emerging talents, and packed stadiums from Mumbai to Colombo, the T20 World Cup 2026 is set to capture the imagination of fans worldwide. Spanning from February 7 to March 8, the tournament will blend tradition with modern cricketing firepower across some of the most electrifying venues in the game.
Tournament Overview: Dates and Locations
Host Countries: India and Sri Lanka
Total Teams: 20
Total Matches: 55
Duration: February 7 – March 8, 2026
Indian Venues:
Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai)
Sri Lankan Venues:
R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground – SSC (Colombo), Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy)
The Groups: Who Plays Whom?
The 20 teams are split into four competitive groups, each containing five teams. Only the top two from each group progress into the intense Super Eight stage.
Group A
India (Host), Pakistan, USA, Nepal, Canada
Group B
Sri Lanka (Host), West Indies, Ireland, Oman, UAE
Group C
England, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Italy, Netherlands
Group D
New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Namibia, Oman
The Group Stage: Full Match-by-Match Fixture
The Group Stage delivers 40 matches across two action-packed weeks. All match timings are listed in IST.
Week 1: February 7 – February 13
Sat, Feb 7 – 11:00 AM – Pakistan vs Netherlands – Group A – SSC, Colombo
Sat, Feb 7 – 3:00 PM – West Indies vs Bangladesh – Group C – Kolkata
Sat, Feb 7 – 7:00 PM – India vs USA – Group A – Mumbai
Sun, Feb 8 – 11:00 AM – New Zealand vs Afghanistan – Group D – Chennai
Sun, Feb 8 – 3:00 PM – England vs Nepal – Group C – Mumbai
Sun, Feb 8 – 7:00 PM – Sri Lanka vs Ireland – Group B – Premadasa, Colombo
Mon, Feb 9 – 11:00 AM – Bangladesh vs Italy – Group C – Kolkata
Mon, Feb 9 – 3:00 PM – Zimbabwe vs Oman – Group B – SSC, Colombo
Mon, Feb 9 – 7:00 PM – South Africa vs Canada – Group D – Ahmedabad
Tue, Feb 10 – 11:00 AM – Netherlands vs Namibia – Group A – Delhi
Tue, Feb 10 – 3:00 PM – New Zealand vs UAE – Group D – Chennai
Tue, Feb 10 – 7:00 PM – Pakistan vs USA – Group A – SSC, Colombo
Wed, Feb 11 – 11:00 AM – South Africa vs Afghanistan – Group D – Ahmedabad
Wed, Feb 11 – 3:00 PM – Australia vs Ireland – Group B – Premadasa, Colombo
Wed, Feb 11 – 7:00 PM – England vs West Indies – Group C – Mumbai
Thu, Feb 12 – 11:00 AM – Sri Lanka vs Oman – Group B – Kandy
Thu, Feb 12 – 3:00 PM – Nepal vs Italy – Group C – Mumbai
Thu, Feb 12 – 7:00 PM – India vs Namibia – Group A – Delhi
Fri, Feb 13 – 11:00 AM – Australia vs Zimbabwe – Group B – Premadasa, Colombo
Fri, Feb 13 – 3:00 PM – Canada vs UAE – Group D – Delhi
Fri, Feb 13 – 7:00 PM – USA vs Netherlands – Group A – Chennai
Week 2: February 14 – February 20
Sat, Feb 14 – 11:00 AM – Ireland vs Oman – Group B – SSC, Colombo
Sat, Feb 14 – 3:00 PM – England vs Bangladesh – Group C – Kolkata
Sat, Feb 14 – 7:00 PM – New Zealand vs South Africa – Group D – Ahmedabad
Sun, Feb 15 – 11:00 AM – West Indies vs Nepal – Group C – Mumbai
Sun, Feb 15 – 3:00 PM – USA vs Namibia – Group A – Chennai
Sun, Feb 15 – 7:00 PM – India vs Pakistan – Group A – Premadasa, Colombo
Mon, Feb 16 – 11:00 AM – Afghanistan vs UAE – Group D – Delhi
Mon, Feb 16 – 3:00 PM – England vs Italy – Group C – Kolkata
Mon, Feb 16 – 7:00 PM – Australia vs Sri Lanka – Group B – Kandy
Tue, Feb 17 – 11:00 AM – New Zealand vs Canada – Group D – Chennai
Tue, Feb 17 – 3:00 PM – Ireland vs Zimbabwe – Group B – Kandy
Tue, Feb 17 – 7:00 PM – Bangladesh vs Nepal – Group C – Mumbai
Wed, Feb 18 – 11:00 AM – South Africa vs UAE – Group D – Delhi
Wed, Feb 18 – 3:00 PM – Pakistan vs Namibia – Group A – SSC, Colombo
Wed, Feb 18 – 7:00 PM – India vs Netherlands – Group A – Ahmedabad
Thu, Feb 19 – 11:00 AM – West Indies vs Italy – Group C – Kolkata
Thu, Feb 19 – 3:00 PM – Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe – Group B – Premadasa, Colombo
Thu, Feb 19 – 7:00 PM – Afghanistan vs Canada – Group D – Chennai
Fri, Feb 20 – 7:00 PM – Australia vs Oman – Group B – Kandy
Super Eight Stage: A New Level of Competition
Once the group stage concludes, the top eight teams move into two Super Eight groups – X and Y. These matches intensify rivalry and determine the final four.
Sat, Feb 21 – 7:00 PM – Y2 vs Y3 – Premadasa, Colombo
Sun, Feb 22 – 3:00 PM – Y1 vs Y4 – Kandy
Sun, Feb 22 – 7:00 PM – X1 vs X4 – Ahmedabad
Mon, Feb 23 – 7:00 PM – X2 vs X3 – Mumbai
Tue, Feb 24 – 7:00 PM – Y1 vs Y3 – Kandy
Wed, Feb 25 – 7:00 PM – Y2 vs Y4 – Premadasa, Colombo
Thu, Feb 26 – 3:00 PM – X3 vs X4 – Ahmedabad
Thu, Feb 26 – 7:00 PM – X1 vs X2 – Chennai
Fri, Feb 27 – 7:00 PM – Y1 vs Y2 – Premadasa, Colombo
Sat, Feb 28 – 7:00 PM – Y3 vs Y4 – Kandy
Sun, Mar 1 – 3:00 PM – X2 vs X4 – Delhi
Sun, Mar 1 – 7:00 PM – X1 vs X3 – Kolkata
The Knockout Phase: Semi-Finals and Final
Wed, Mar 4 – 7:00 PM – Semi-Final 1 – Kolkata / Colombo
Thu, Mar 5 – 7:00 PM – Semi-Final 2 – Mumbai
Sun, Mar 8 – 7:00 PM – FINAL – Ahmedabad / Colombo
More T20i World Cup 2025-26 updates can be find out on cricketer.io news page.
A Closer Look at the Host Cities
The T20 World Cup 2026 will travel across legendary venues blending modern stadiums with historic charm.
India:
Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad) – Set to host the Final
Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai) – Eight matches including a Semi-Final
Eden Gardens (Kolkata) – Six matches including possible knockouts
M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai) – Seven high-intensity fixtures
Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi) – Six crucial group and Super Eight games
Sri Lanka:
R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo) – Key Super Eight and India-Pakistan clash
SSC Cricket Ground (Colombo) – Five traditional group matches
Pallekele Stadium (Kandy) – Seven scenic, high-scoring contests
Focus on South Africa Tour of India 2025: The Final Dress Rehearsal
The build-up to the T20 World Cup 2026 includes several crucial bilateral series, none bigger than the South Africa Tour of India 2025. The five-match T20I series in December is being widely viewed as the final testing ground for squad combinations.
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar suggested the series could define the World Cup core. South Africa, coming off strong recent performances, will use this series to sharpen their strategies for Asian conditions. Proteas legend Jacques Kallis has also backed the importance of this timing, especially with SA20 finishing just before the World Cup begins.
FAQ
When does the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 start and end?
The tournament begins on February 7, 2026 and concludes with the Final on March 8, 2026.
Where will the India vs Pakistan match be played?
The Group A clash is scheduled for February 15, 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
How many total venues are hosting matches?
There are eight venues in total — five in India and three in Sri Lanka.
What is the tournament format?
Twenty teams compete in four groups. The top two from each group advance to the Super Eight, followed by Semi-Finals and the Final.
Where will the Final be played?
The Final is scheduled for the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, but may shift to Colombo depending on finalist qualification rules.