Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground is being upgraded with floodlights for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The 20-team tournament will run from February 7 to March 8 across eight venues.
The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground will receive floodlights and other upgrades, in preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka in February and March next year, as per a report by ESPNcricinfo.
The report said that floodlight construction work is already underway at the SSC ground. Buidling floodlights at SSC will open new possibilities for Sri Lanka Cricket to host day-night games. SSC’s first match in the T20 World Cup 2026 will require lights. The ground will host a Group B game between Oman and Zimbabwe on February 9. It is one of five matches that SSC will host during the T20 World Cup 2026 edition.
T20 World Cup 2026: Schedule and Venues
The first of those will be between the Netherlands and Pakistan on February 7, followed by Oman vs Zimbabwe on February 9. The third fixture at SSC will see Pakistan facing the USA on February 10. Meanwhile, Pallekele will host all seven matches in the T20 World Cup 2026. The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup will begin on February 7, 2026, with the 20-team tournament running through till March 8.
A total of six sides are in action on the opening day, including the titleholders India, as per the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC). India will take on the USA in Mumbai. India and Sri Lanka will co-host the 20-team tournament across 29 days and eight venues (5 in India and 3 in Sri Lanka). The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (Colombo) and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy) round out the complete list of host venues.
Tournament Format
A total of 40 group matches will be played between February 7-20, with the top two sides from each group progressing to the Super Eights phase of the tournament, which commences on February 21. The top four sides after the Super Eights qualify for the knockout stages of the event, with semi-finals to be held in Kolkata/Colombo and Mumbai ahead of the title decider on March 8 in Ahmedabad/Colombo.
Group Stage Draw
In Group A, besides the USA, India is also drawn alongside Pakistan and will take on their arch-rival in Colombo on February 15. The Netherlands and Namibia are the other teams in the group.
Sri Lanka are one of five sides in Group B along with 2021 winners Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman.
Group C consists of a pair of two-time champions in England and the West Indies, as well as first-timers Italy and the Asian sides Bangladesh and Nepal.
New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, and the UAE make up Group D. (ANI)
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