Pakistan vs India on Feb 15 as ICC unveils T20 World Cup 2026 schedule

• India face USA in opening match, Pakistan meet Netherlands same day
• Event has four groups of five teams; top two in each pool move to Super Eight.
• Final will be in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on Pakistan’s progression.

The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the schedule of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with a high-octane encounter between arch-rivals Pakistan and India slated for February 15.

The announcement was made during the unveiling ceremony as the 10th edition of the men's T20 World Cup will be played between February 7 and March 8, with India and Sri Lanka confirmed as co-hosts for the tournament featuring 20 teams.

Pakistan and India are placed in Group A alongside the United States, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The arch-rivals will face each other on February 15 in Colombo, while Pakistan will play all its matches in Sri Lanka.

The inaugural match will be played between India and the US on February 7, while Pakistan are scheduled to face the Netherlands in Colombo on the same day.

The final is likely to be held in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan qualify, given that India and Pakistan are currently not playing bilateral cricket due to political tensions.

The tournament will feature four groups, each containing five teams. The top two sides from every group will progress to the Super Eight round, which will be further divided into two pools of four teams each.

Sri Lanka, unlike co-hosts India, find themselves in a comparatively tougher pool, Group B, which includes three full-member teams — Australia, Zimbabwe, and Ireland — along with Oman.

Group C will feature England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, and Nepal, while Group D consists of South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Canada.

From there, the leading two teams in both Super Eight groups will earn a place in the semi-finals.

India will enter the tournament as the reigning champions after overcoming South Africa in the final held in Barbados in 2024.

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 schedule (Group Stage):

February 7

Pakistan vs Netherlands in Colombo

India vs USA in Mumbai

West Indies vs Bangladesh in Kolkata

February 8

Sri Lanka vs Ireland in Colombo

England vs Nepal in Mumbai

New Zealand vs Afghanistan in Chennai

February 9

Zimbabwe vs Oman in Colombo

South Africa vs Canada in Ahmedabad

Bangladesh vs Italy in Kolkata

February 10

Pakistan vs USA in Colombo

New Zealand vs UAE in Chennai

Netherlands vs Namibia in Delhi

February 11

Australia vs Ireland in Colombo

England vs West Indies in Mumbai

South Africa vs Afghanistan in Ahmedabad

February 12

India vs Namibia in Delhi

Sri Lanka vs Oman in Kandy

Nepal vs Italy in Mumbai

February 13

USA vs Netherlands in Chennai

Australia vs Zimbabwe in Colombo

Canada vs UAE in Delhi

February 14

Ireland vs Oman in Colombo

England vs Bangladesh in Kolkata

New Zealand vs South Africa in Ahmedabad

February 15

USA vs Namibia in Chennai

India vs Pakistan in Colombo

West Indies vs Nepal in Mumbai

February 16

Australia vs Sri Lanka in Kandy

England vs Italy in Kolkata

Afghanistan vs UAE in Delhi

February 17

Bangladesh vs Nepal in Mumbai

New Zealand vs Canada in Chennai

Ireland vs Zimbabwe in Kandy

February 18

Pakistan vs Namibia in Colombo

India vs Netherlands in Ahmedabad

South Africa vs UAE in Delhi

February 19

Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe in Colombo

West Indies vs Italy in Kolkata

Afghanistan vs Canada in Chennai

February 20

Australia vs Oman in Kandy

Super-Eight Round Schedule:

February 21

Y2 vs Y3 in Colombo

February 22

Y1 vs Y4 in Kandy

X1 vs X4 in Ahmedabad

February 23

X2 vs X3 in Mumbai

February 24

Y1 vs Y3 in Kandy

February 25

Y2 vs Y4 in Colombo

February 26

X3 vs X4 in Colombo

X1 vs X2 in Chennai

February 27

Y1 vs Y2 in Colombo

February 28

Y3 vs Y4 in Kandy

March 1

X2 vs X4 in Delhi

X1 vs X3 in Kolkata

Knock-out Fixtures:

March 4:

Semi-final 1 in Colombo/Kolkata

March 5:

Semi-final 2 in Mumbai

March 8:

Final in Colombo/Ahmedabad