New Delhi: India and Pakistan were placed in the same group in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup and will meet on Febraury 15 in in Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.
International Cricket Council’s chairman Jay Shah unveiled the tournament’s schedule at an event in Mumbai on Tuesday.
India and Sri Lanka will co-host the 20-team tournament, staging 55 matches across 29 days and eight venues (five in India and three in Sri Lanka).
The 10th edition will begin on February 7, 2026, with a total of six sides in action on the opening day, including reigning champions India.
They will face USA in Mumbai before taking on Namibia in Delhi on February 12 and head to Colombo for the crunch clash against Pakistan before concluding their league engagements against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18.
Pakistan will play all their games in Sri Lanka as per an agreement between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan.
Between February 7-20, a total of 40 group matches will be played, with the top two sides from each group advancing to the Super Eights phase, which will begin on February 21.
The top four sides of the Super Eights progress to the knockouts, with semi-finals to be held in Kolkata/Colombo and Mumbai ahead of the title decider on March 8 in Ahmedabad/Colombo.
“It is wonderful to welcome the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup back to the subcontinent so soon after a groundbreaking Women’s Cricket World Cup. The passion for cricket in this region is unmatched, and fans have been waiting eagerly for another global spectacle,” Shah said.
“The announcement of the fixtures brings us a step closer, and I have no doubt that the five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka will be alive with energy throughout the tournament.”
Rohit chosen as tournament ambassador
The ICC named former India skipper Rohit Sharma as the tournament ambassador. He had retired after leading India to the trophy at the previous edition in 2024.
He ended his T20I career with 4231 runs at an average of 32.01 and a strike-rate of 140.89.
T20 World Cup Groups:
Group A: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan
Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal
Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE