T20 World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule.The cricketing world is buzzing with excitement as the 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup kicks off on February 7, 2026. Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, this tournament promises to deliver a month of thrilling cricket action across eight premier venues. Here’s your comprehensive guide to the T20 World Cup 2026 schedule and all the essential details you need to follow the tournament.
Tournament Overview
The T20 World Cup 2026 will run from February 7 to March 8, 2026, featuring 55 matches across 30 days of intense cricket competition. This marks a special occasion as Sri Lanka hosts a major ICC tournament for the first time since 2012, while India adds another chapter to its rich history of hosting world cricket events.
Opening Match
The tournament begins with Pakistan facing Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo at 11:00 AM local time on February 7. This opening clash sets the stage for what promises to be an electrifying month of T20 cricket.
Tournament Format
Group Stage (February 7-20)
The 20 participating teams have been divided into four groups of five teams each:
Group A: India, Pakistan, United States, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal, Italy
Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, United Arab Emirates
Each team will play the other four teams in their group once, resulting in 40 group stage matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage.
📅 FEBRUARY 7, 2026 (FRIDAY) – OPENING DAY T20 World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | 11:00 AM | Netherlands vs Pakistan | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo | Group A |
| Match 2 | 3:00 PM | Scotland vs West Indies | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Group C |
| Match 3 | 7:00 PM | India vs USA | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Group A |
📅 FEBRUARY 8, 2026 (SATURDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 4 | 11:00 AM | Afghanistan vs New Zealand | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Group D |
| Match 5 | 3:00 PM | England vs Nepal | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Group C |
| Match 6 | 7:00 PM | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Group B |
📅 FEBRUARY 9, 2026 (SUNDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 7 | 11:00 AM | Scotland vs Italy | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Group C |
| Match 8 | 3:00 PM | Oman vs Zimbabwe | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo | Group B |
| Match 9 | 7:00 PM | Canada vs South Africa | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Group D |
Note: Italy makes their T20 World Cup debut!
📅 FEBRUARY 10, 2026 (MONDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 10 | 11:00 AM | Namibia vs Netherlands | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Group A |
| Match 11 | 3:00 PM | New Zealand vs UAE | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Group D |
| Match 12 | 7:00 PM | Pakistan vs USA | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo | Group A |
📅 FEBRUARY 11, 2026 (TUESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 13 | 11:00 AM | Afghanistan vs South Africa | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Group D |
| Match 14 | 3:00 PM | Australia vs Ireland | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Group B |
| Match 15 | 7:00 PM | England vs West Indies | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Group C |
Marquee Match: Two-time champions clash!
📅 FEBRUARY 12, 2026 (WEDNESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 16 | 11:00 AM | Sri Lanka vs Oman | Pallekele International, Kandy | Group B |
| Match 17 | 3:00 PM | Italy vs Nepal | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Group C |
| Match 18 | 7:00 PM | India vs Namibia | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Group A |
📅 FEBRUARY 13, 2026 (THURSDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 19 | 11:00 AM | Australia vs Zimbabwe | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Group B |
| Match 20 | 3:00 PM | Canada vs UAE | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Group D |
| Match 21 | 7:00 PM | Netherlands vs USA | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Group A |
📅 FEBRUARY 14, 2026 (FRIDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 22 | 11:00 AM | Ireland vs Oman | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo | Group B |
| Match 23 | 3:00 PM | Scotland vs England | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Group C |
| Match 24 | 7:00 PM | New Zealand vs South Africa | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Group D |
Marquee Match: Potential group decider!
📅 FEBRUARY 15, 2026 (SATURDAY) – INDIA vs PAKISTAN DAY
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 25 | 11:00 AM | Nepal vs West Indies | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Group C |
| Match 26 | 3:00 PM | Namibia vs USA | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Group A |
| Match 27 | 7:00 PM | 🔥 INDIA vs PAKISTAN 🔥 | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Group A |
⚠️ MATCH STATUS UNCERTAIN: Pakistan has announced they will boycott this match. If Pakistan boycotts, India will receive 2 points via forfeit and Pakistan will face a net run-rate penalty. Ticket sales have been paused.
📅 FEBRUARY 16, 2026 (SUNDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 28 | 11:00 AM | Afghanistan vs UAE | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Group D |
| Match 29 | 3:00 PM | England vs Italy | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Group C |
| Match 30 | 7:00 PM | Australia vs Sri Lanka | Pallekele International, Kandy | Group B |
Marquee Match: Hosts take on former champions!
📅 FEBRUARY 17, 2026 (MONDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 31 | 11:00 AM | Canada vs New Zealand | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Group D |
| Match 32 | 3:00 PM | Ireland vs Zimbabwe | Pallekele International, Kandy | Group B |
| Match 33 | 7:00 PM | Scotland vs Nepal | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Group C |
📅 FEBRUARY 18, 2026 (TUESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 34 | 11:00 AM | South Africa vs UAE | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Group D |
| Match 35 | 3:00 PM | Namibia vs Pakistan | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo | Group A |
| Match 36 | 7:00 PM | India vs Netherlands | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Group A |
📅 FEBRUARY 19, 2026 (WEDNESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 37 | 11:00 AM | Italy vs West Indies | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Group C |
| Match 38 | 3:00 PM | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Group B |
| Match 39 | 7:00 PM | Afghanistan vs Canada | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Group D |
📅 FEBRUARY 20, 2026 (THURSDAY) – GROUP STAGE FINAL DAY
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 40 | 7:00 PM | Australia vs Oman | Pallekele International, Kandy | Group B |
End of Group Stage
🏆 SUPER EIGHT STAGE (February 21 – March 1, 2026)
FEBRUARY 21, 2026 (FRIDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 41 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Super 8 – Group 2 |
FEBRUARY 22, 2026 (SATURDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 42 | 3:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Pallekele International, Kandy | Super 8 – Group 2 |
| Match 43 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Super 8 – Group 1 |
FEBRUARY 23, 2026 (SUNDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 44 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Super 8 – Group 1 |
FEBRUARY 24, 2026 (MONDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 45 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Pallekele International, Kandy | Super 8 – Group 2 |
FEBRUARY 25, 2026 (TUESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 46 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Super 8 – Group 2 |
FEBRUARY 26, 2026 (WEDNESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 47 | 3:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Super 8 – Group 1 |
| Match 48 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Super 8 – Group 1 |
FEBRUARY 27, 2026 (THURSDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 49 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Super 8 – Group 2 |
FEBRUARY 28, 2026 (FRIDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 50 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Pallekele International, Kandy | Super 8 – Group 2 |
MARCH 1, 2026 (SATURDAY) – SUPER 8 FINAL DAY
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 51 | 3:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Super 8 – Group 1 |
| Match 52 | 7:00 PM | TBD vs TBD | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Super 8 – Group 1 |
End of Super Eight Stage
🏅 SEMI-FINALS
MARCH 4, 2026 (WEDNESDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-Final 1 | 7:00 PM | Winner Group 1 vs Runner-up Group 2 | TBD | Knockout |
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata OR R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (if Pakistan qualifies)
Reserve Day: March 5, 2026
MARCH 5, 2026 (THURSDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-Final 2 | 7:00 PM | Winner Group 2 vs Runner-up Group 1 | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Knockout |
Reserve Day: March 6, 2026
🏆 FINAL
MARCH 8, 2026 (SUNDAY)
| Match | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FINAL | 7:00 PM | Semi-Final 1 Winner vs Semi-Final 2 Winner | TBD | Championship |
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad (capacity: 132,000) OR R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (if Pakistan qualifies)
Reserve Day: March 9, 2026
Super Eight Stage (Starting February 21)
The Super Eight stage consists of two groups of four teams, with teams carrying no points from the group stage. The top two teams from each Super Eight group will progress to the semifinals.
Pre-seeded teams for Super Eight:
- Group X: X1 – India, X2 – Australia, X3 – West Indies, X4 – South Africa
- Group Y: Y1 – England, Y2 – New Zealand, Y3 – Pakistan, Y4 – Sri Lanka
Knockout Stage
- Semi-finals: March 4 and 5, 2026
- Final: March 8, 2026
The first semi-final and the final are scheduled for Eden Gardens in Kolkata and Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad respectively. However, either venue could be moved to R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo if Pakistan qualifies for those matches.
Tournament Venues
India (5 Venues)
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Sri Lanka (3 Venues)
- R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Key Features and Tournament Rules
Match Results and Tie-Breakers
Any match that finishes in a tie will see a Super Over be played, and if the Super Over is a tie, subsequent Super Overs will be played until there is a winner.
Weather Contingencies
- Group Stage and Super Eight: Minimum of 5 overs per side required for a result
- Semi-finals and Final: Minimum of 10 overs per side required for a result
- Reserve Days: Both semi-finals and the final have reserve days allocated
DLS Method
In case of rain interruptions, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method will be used to calculate revised targets.
Participating Teams
Debutants: Italy will make its T20 World Cup debut in 2026.
Defending Champions: India enters the tournament as the reigning champions after their thrilling victory over South Africa in the 2024 final.
Notable Absence: Bangladesh will miss the Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time after citing government security concerns about playing in India. They were replaced by Scotland.
India vs Pakistan: The Marquee Clash
One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament is the India vs Pakistan encounter scheduled for February 15. However, there is significant uncertainty surrounding this Group A game, as Pakistan have said they will boycott the match. If Pakistan boycotts the game, they will forfeit two points and suffer a net run-rate penalty.
The ICC has paused ticket sales for the India vs Pakistan match due to uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation.
Previous Winners
The T20 World Cup has seen six different champions across nine editions:
- 2007 – India
- 2009 – Pakistan
- 2010 – England
- 2012 – West Indies
- 2014 – Sri Lanka
- 2016 – West Indies
- 2021 – Australia
- 2022 – England
- 2024 – India
India, West Indies, and England are the only teams to have won the trophy twice.
Where to Watch
Cricket fans around the world can catch all the action through various broadcasters:
- India: Star Sports Network and JioHotstar
- Pakistan: PTV, Myco, and digital platforms (Tamasha, ARY Zapp, Tapmad)
- USA and Canada: WillowTV
- England: Sky Sports (streaming on NOW)
- Australia: Prime Video
- West Indies: ESPN
- South Africa: SuperSport
Key Matches to Watch
Beyond the India-Pakistan blockbuster, cricket enthusiasts should mark their calendars for these exciting fixtures:
- England vs West Indies (February 11) – Two-time champions clash
- Australia vs Sri Lanka (February 14) – Hosts take on former champions
- New Zealand vs South Africa (February 16) – Super Eight preview
- Afghanistan vs South Africa (February 11) – Dark horses vs favorites
What’s at Stake
While the ICC hasn’t announced the prize pool for 2026, the 2024 tournament featured a total prize fund of $11.25 million, with the winners receiving $2.45 million.
Tournament Significance
This T20 World Cup holds special significance as it marks:
- Sri Lanka’s return to hosting a major ICC event after 14 years
- Italy’s historic first appearance at a T20 World Cup
- India’s attempt to defend their title for the first time
- The continuation of the expanded 20-team format
Conclusion
The T20 World Cup 2026 promises to be a spectacular celebration of cricket’s shortest and most explosive format. With 20 teams battling across 55 matches in some of cricket’s most iconic venues, fans are in for a treat. From the opening clash between Pakistan and Netherlands to the grand final on March 8, every match carries the potential for unforgettable moments.
Whether you’re supporting the defending champions India, backing traditional powerhouses like Australia and England, or cheering for underdogs like Italy in their maiden appearance, the T20 World Cup 2026 is set to deliver drama, excitement, and world-class cricket.
Stay tuned to BattingFirst.com for live updates, match previews, player interviews, and comprehensive coverage throughout the tournament!
Last Updated: February 7, 2026 Follow us for real-time updates, expert analysis, and exclusive content throughout the T20 World Cup 2026
