LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the official schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament. The date for Pakistan-India clash has also been announced.
According to the schedule, Pakistan will play its opening match against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo. The national team will begin its campaign in the same city.
The tournament’s most anticipated clash between Pakistan and India is set for February 15 in Colombo, a fixture cricket fans are eagerly waiting for.
According to the ICC, the T20 World Cup will run from February 7 to March 8, with the final scheduled for March 8. Sri Lanka will host all major matches of the tournament.
Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
20 teams will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026, divided into four groups of five teams each. The top two teams from every group will qualify for the Super 8 stage.
Meanwhile, the co-hosts Sri Lanka are expected to be grouped with Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman.
In addition, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Italy will form one group, while South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, UAE, and Canada are likely to be in another group.
According to media reports, matches in India will be held in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.
Matches in Sri Lanka will be played in Colombo and Kandy, while Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka.
The city of Ahmedabad in India has been selected to host the final; however, if Pakistan qualifies for the final, then the final will be played in Colombo.
For the semi-finals, Mumbai and Kolkata have been chosen as venues. The choice of venues will depend on the teams that qualify for the semi-finals, and if Pakistan reaches the semi-finals, it will be played in Sri Lanka.
