New Delhi: After an exhilarating day of cricket on Thursday, which saw Sri Lanka post a record total, football giants Italy make their mark on cricket’s biggest stage and India extending their supremacy with a comprehensive win over Namibia, Day 7 at the T20 World Cup 2026 promises another exciting day of action.
The first of the three matches will feature 2021 champions Australia and promising side Zimbabwe in a Group B clash in Colombo. The second match will feature the battle of the associate nations: the UAE vs. Canada. The day concludes with a must-win clash for the USA, who will meet fellow associate country the Netherlands in Chennai.
Australia vs Zimbabwe (11.00 AM IST)
The action starts in Colombo, where ICC giants Australia will take on Zimbabwe at the R Premadasa Stadium. Both teams are coming into the match with convincing wins in their respective openers. While Australia defeated Ireland by 67 runs on Wednesday, Zimbabwe crushed Oman by eight wickets on Monday.
Australia are set to be without their skipper, who missed the first game due to a testicular injury. Steve Smith could replace him after flying to Sri Lanka on short notice. Despite being plagued by multiple injuries, Australia, boasting an incredible bench strength, are expected to continue their winning run against the African nation.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe, who started their campaign with a clinical win, would look to cause an upset against one of the tournament favourites.
Head-to-head
Total matches – 3 | Australia won – 2 | Zimbabwe won – 1
Canada vs UAE (3.00 PM IST)
In a battle of the associate nations in Group D, Canada and the UAE will lock horns at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in the second match of the day. Both teams would aim to make amends following heavy losses in their respective opening matches.
Being drawn in the “Group of Death” alongside three top-10 teams – New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan – Friday’s match becomes all the more crucial for both teams in their unlikely bid for qualifying for the Super Eight stage.
Both the UAE and Canada started their campaigns on a disappointing note, suffering massive defeats.
Canada, who came into the tournament after a flawless Americas Regional Final, where they won all six matches, were handed a reality check in the main tournament with a 57-run loss against South Africa. Meanwhile, the UAE suffered a 10-wicket thrashing against New Zealand.
Total matches – 1 | UAE won – 1 | Canada won – 0
USA vs Netherlands (7.00 PM IST)
The action shifts to M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai for the final match of the day, with the United States of America taking on the Netherlands in a battle for survival to stay in the tournament.
After losing their opening two games, the clash against the Dutch teams is a must-win game for the USA. After a spirited performance against India in their opening match in Mumbai, the USA suffered a comprehensive defeat against Pakistan in Colombo. A third straight loss would send them home.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands are riding high on confidence after a superb win over Namibia. The Dutch boast good depth and quality in the squad, and start as favourites against the USA in the Group A clash due to their form and familiarity with the conditions.
The Scott Edwards-led team, which came mighty close to defeating Pakistan in the tournament opener, trained at Chennai Super Kings Academy last month for about a week.
Total matches – 3 | USA won – 0| Netherlands won – 3
T20 World Cup 2026, live streaming
The live telecast of the 2026 T20 World Cup will be available on the Star Sports Network in India. Fans can live stream the tournament on the JioHotstar app and the website.