The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be a massive cricket festival as 20 teams battle it out across India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March 2026. With 20 teams competing in 55 matches, this edition promises action-packed cricket, big rivalries and exciting performances from seasoned stars and emerging talents.worldwide.
T20 World Cup 2026 World Cup Formats
The World Cup will have four main phases:
- Group Stage (7–18 Feb): Four groups of five teams each.
- Super Eight Stage (21–28 Feb): Top two teams from each group move forward.
- Semi-Finals (4 & 5 Mar): Four teams compete for a place in the final.
- Final (8 Mar): The championship match to crown the World Cup winner.
Each team in the group stage plays every other team in its group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the Super Eight, where the competition intensifies with only the best moving forward to the knockouts.
Groups and Participating Teams
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Australia | England | South Africa |
| Pakistan | Sri Lanka | West Indies | New Zealand |
| USA | Zimbabwe | Bangladesh | Afghanistan |
| Netherlands | Ireland | Nepal | Canada |
| Namibia | Oman | Italy | UAE |
These groups set up some exciting contests, especially the classic rivalry between India and Pakistan in Group A.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Schedule Highlights
Here’s a overview of the opening Group Stage & Key matches and fixtures:
| Date | Match | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07 Feb 2026 | Pakistan vs Netherlands | 11:00 AM | Colombo (SSC) |
| West Indies vs Bangladesh | 03:00 PM | Kolkata | |
| India vs USA | 07:00 PM | Mumbai | |
| 08 Feb 2026 | New Zealand vs Afghanistan | 11:00 AM | Chennai |
| England vs Nepal | 03:00 PM | Mumbai | |
| Sri Lanka vs Ireland | 07:00 PM | Colombo (RPS) | |
| 09 Feb 2026 | Bangladesh vs Italy | 11:00 AM | Kolkata |
| Zimbabwe vs Oman | 03:00 PM | Colombo (SSC) | |
| South Africa vs Canada | 07:00 PM | Ahmedabad | |
| 10 Feb 2026 | Netherlands vs Namibia | 11:00 AM | Delhi |
| New Zealand vs UAE | 03:00 PM | Chennai | |
| Pakistan vs USA | 07:00 PM | Colombo (SSC) | |
| 11 Feb 2026 | Afghanistan vs South Africa | 11:00 AM | Ahmedabad |
| Australia vs Ireland | 03:00 PM | Colombo (RPS) | |
| England vs West Indies | 07:00 PM | Mumbai | |
| 12 Feb 2026 | Sri Lanka vs Oman | 11:00 AM | Pallekele |
| Italy vs Nepal | 03:00 PM | Mumbai | |
| India vs Namibia | 07:00 PM | Delhi | |
| 13 Feb 2026 | Australia vs Zimbabwe | 11:00 AM | Colombo (RPS) |
| Canada vs UAE | 03:00 PM | Delhi | |
| USA vs Netherlands | 07:00 PM | Chennai | |
| 14 Feb 2026 | Ireland vs Oman | 11:00 AM | Colombo (SSC) |
| England vs Bangladesh | 03:00 PM | Kolkata | |
| New Zealand vs South Africa | 07:00 PM | Ahmedabad | |
| 15 Feb 2026 | West Indies vs Nepal | 11:00 AM | Mumbai |
| USA vs Namibia | 03:00 PM | Chennai | |
| India vs Pakistan | 07:00 PM | Colombo (RPS) | |
| 16 Feb 2026 | Afghanistan vs UAE | 11:00 AM | Delhi |
| England vs Italy | 03:00 PM | Kolkata | |
| Australia vs Sri Lanka | 07:00 PM | Pallekele | |
| 17 Feb 2026 | New Zealand vs Canada | 11:00 AM | Chennai |
| Ireland vs Zimbabwe | 03:00 PM | Pallekele | |
| Bangladesh vs Nepal | 07:00 PM | Mumbai | |
| 18 Feb 2026 | South Africa vs UAE | 11:00 AM | Delhi |
| Pakistan vs Namibia | 03:00 PM | Colombo (SSC) | |
| India vs Netherlands | 07:00 PM | Ahmedabad | |
| 19 Feb 2026 | West Indies vs Italy | 11:00 AM | Kolkata |
| Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe | 03:00 PM | Colombo (RPS) | |
| Afghanistan vs Canada | 07:00 PM | Chennai | |
| 20 Feb 2026 | Australia vs Oman | 07:00 PM | Pallekele |
Super Eight matches continue from 21-28 February followed by semi-finals on 4 and 5 March and final on 8 March 2026.
Top Teams and Expected Captains
Every squad has been working hard to finalize players for peak performance. Here are the expected captains of all teams:
| Team | Captain |
|---|---|
| India | Suryakumar Yadav |
| Pakistan | Salman Agha |
| Australia | Mitchell Marsh |
| England | Harry Brook |
| South Africa | Aiden Markram |
| New Zealand | Mitchell Santner |
| Sri Lanka | Charith Asalanka |
| West Indies | Shai Hope |
| Bangladesh | Litton Das |
| Afghanistan | Rashid Khan |
| Nepal | Rohit Paudel |
| USA | Monank Patel |
| Ireland | Paul Stirling |
| Netherlands | Scott Edwards |
| Namibia | Gerhard Erasmus |
| Canada | Saad Bin Zafar |
| Zimbabwe | Sikandar Raza |
| Oman | Zeeshan Maqsood |
| Italy | Joe Burns |
| UAE | Muhammad Waseem |
This mix of seasoned leaders and emerging captains sets the stage for strategic battles in all phases of the tournament.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 – Confirmed Squads of All Teams
1. India (15 Players)
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Tilak Varma
- Sanju Samson
- Shivam Dube
- Ishan Kishan
- Hardik Pandya
- Arshdeep Singh
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Rinku Singh
2. USA
Squad to be announced
3. Pakistan
Squad to be announced
4. Namibia (15 + 1 Reserve)
- Gerhard Erasmus (c)
- Zane Green
- Bernard Scholtz
- Ruben Trumpelmann
- JJ Smit
- Jan Frylinck
- Louren Steenkamp
- Malan Kruger
- Nicol Loftie-Eaton
- Jack Brassell
- Ben Shikongo
- JC Balt
- Dylan Leicher
- WP Myburgh
- Max Heingo
- Reserve: Alexander Volschenk
5. Netherlands (15 Players)
- Scott Edwards (c)
- Colin Ackermann
- Noah Croes
- Bas de Leede
- Aryan Dutt
- Fred Klaassen
- Kyle Klein
- Michael Levitt
- Zach Lion-Cachet
- Max O’Dowd
- Logan van Beek
- Timm van der Gugten
- Roelof van der Merwe
- Paul van Meekeren
- Saqib Zulfiqar
6. Australia – Provisional (15 Players)
- Mitchell Marsh (c)
- Pat Cummins
- Glenn Maxwell
- Marcus Stoinis
- Tim David
- Josh Inglis
- Adam Zampa
- Josh Hazlewood
- Travis Head
- Nathan Ellis
- Matthew Short
- Xavier Bartlett
- Cooper Connolly
- Cameron Green
- Matthew Kuhnemann
7. Sri Lanka – Preliminary (25 Players)
- Dasun Shanaka (c)
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kusal Mendis
- Kamil Mishara
- Kusal Perera
- Dhananjaya de Silva
- Niroshan Dickwella
- Janith Liyanage
- Charith Asalanka
- Kamindu Mendis
- Pavan Rathnayake
- Sahan Arachchige
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Dunith Wellalage
- Milan Rathnayake
- Nuwan Thushara
- Eshan Malinga
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Pramod Madushan
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Dilshan Madushanka
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Dushan Hemantha
- Vijayakanth Viyaskanth
- Traveen Mathew
8. Zimbabwe (15 Players)
- Sikandar Raza (c)
- Brian Bennett
- Ryan Burl
- Graeme Cremer
- Bradley Evans
- Clive Madande
- Tinotenda Maposa
- Tadiwanashe Marumani
- Wellington Masakadza
- Tony Munyonga
- Tashinga Musekiwa
- Blessing Muzarabani
- Dion Myers
- Richard Ngarava
- Brendan Taylor
9. Ireland (15 Players)
- Paul Stirling (c)
- Mark Adair
- Ross Adair
- Ben Calitz
- Curtis Campher
- Gareth Delany
- George Dockrell
- Matthew Humphreys
- Josh Little
- Barry McCarthy
- Harry Tector
- Tim Tector
- Lorcan Tucker
- Ben White
- Craig Young
10. Oman (15 Players)
- Jatinder Singh (c)
- Vinayak Shukla
- Mohammad Nadeem
- Shakeel Ahmad
- Hammad Mirza
- Wasim Ali
- Karan Sonavale
- Shah Faisal
- Nadeem Khan
- Sufyan Mehmood
- Jay Odedra
- Shafiq Jan
- Ashish Odedara
- Jiten Ramanandi
- Hasnain Ali Shah
11. England – Provisional (15 Players)
- Harry Brook (c)
- Rehan Ahmed
- Jofra Archer
- Tom Banton
- Jacob Bethell
- Jos Buttler
- Sam Curran
- Liam Dawson
- Ben Duckett
- Will Jacks
- Jamie Overton
- Adil Rashid
- Phil Salt
- Josh Tongue
- Luke Wood
12. Bangladesh (15 Players)
- Litton Das (c)
- Tanzid Hasan
- Parvez Hossain Emon
- Saif Hassan
- Tawhid Hridoy
- Shamim Hossain
- Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan
- Shak Mahedi Hasan
- Rishad Hossain
- Nasum Ahmed
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib
- Taskin Ahmed
- Shaif Uddin
- Shoriful Islam
13. Nepal (15 Players)
- Rohit Paudel (c)
- Dipendra Singh Airee
- Sandeep Lamichhane
- Kushal Bhurtel
- Aasif Sheikh
- Sundeep Jora
- Aarif Sheikh
- Basir Ahamad
- Sompal Kami
- Karan KC
- Nandan Yadav
- Gulshan Jha
- Lalit Rajbanshi
- Sher Malla
- Lokesh Bam
14. Italy (15 Players)
- Wayne Madsen (c)
- Marcus Campopiano
- Gian Piero Meade
- Zain Ali
- Ali Hasan
- Crishan Jorge
- Harry Manenti
- Anthony Mosca
- Justin Mosca
- Syed Naqvi
- Benjamin Manenti
- Jaspreet Singh
- JJ Smuts
- Grant Stewart
- Thomas Draca
15. South Africa (15 Players)
- Aiden Markram (c)
- Quinton de Kock
- Tony de Zorzi
- Dewald Brevis
- David Miller
- Donovan Ferreira
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Kwena Maphaka
- Lungi Ngidi
- Jason Smith
- George Linde
- Corbin Bosch
- Anrich Nortje
16. New Zealand (15 + 1 Reserve)
- Mitchell Santner (c)
- Finn Allen
- Michael Bracewell
- Mark Chapman
- Devon Conway
- Jacob Duffy
- Lockie Ferguson
- Matt Henry
- Daryl Mitchell
- Adam Milne
- James Neesham
- Glenn Phillips
- Rachin Ravindra
- Tim Seifert
- Ish Sodhi
- Reserve: Kyle Jamieson
17. Afghanistan (15 + 3 Reserves)
- Rashid Khan (c)
- Noor Ahmad
- Abdullah Ahmadzai
- Sediqullah Atal
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Naveen Ul Haq
- Mohammad Ishaq
- Shahidullah Kamal
- Mohammad Nabi
- Gulbadin Naib
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Darwish Rasooli
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Reserves:
- AM Ghazanfar
- Ijaz Ahmadzai
- Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
18. Canada (15 Players)
- Dilpreet Bajwa (c)
- Ajayveer Hundal
- Ansh Patel
- Dilon Heyliger
- Harsh Thaker
- Jaskarandeep Buttar
- Kaleem Sana
- Kanwarpal Tathgur
- Navneet Dhaliwal
- Nicholas Kirton
- Ravinderpal Singh
- Saad Bin Zafar
- Shivam Sharma
- Shreyas Movva
- Yuvraj Samra
19. UAE
Squad to be announced
20. West Indies
Squad to be announced
T20 World Cup Host Venues Across India & Sri Lanka
The tournament will be played at eight major cricket stadiums:
| Country | Venues |
|---|---|
| India | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | |
| Eden Gardens, Kolkata | |
| MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | |
| Sri Lanka | R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Pallekele International Stadium, Kandy | |
| Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
These stadiums have rich histories and will see thousands of fans cheering for their teams.
Live Streaming and Broadcast Info
- TV Broadcast (India): Star Sports Network
- Online Streaming: JioCinema & Hotstar
Fans can enjoy live matches, highlights and expert analysis throughout the tournament on these platforms.
Conclusion
As the tournament approaches, fans can look forward to everything that makes T20 cricket truly global and electrifying. Classic rivalries like India vs Pakistan will once again capture the world’s attention, while debutant teams such as Italy and the USA are ready to make bold statements on the biggest stage.
Read more: India vs Pakistan Match Tickets
The subcontinent pitches will set up fascinating contests of spin versus pace, adding depth and drama to every match. With packed venues, roaring crowds, and matches that promise thrilling finishes, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be a grand festival of power hitting, smart bowling, and unforgettable cricketing moments.
