T20I World Cup 2026: India, Pakistan in Same Group; Men in Blue Play against USA on Feb 7
ICC T20I World Cup: India to Face USA in Mumbai on Opening Day of 2026 T20I World Cup
The ICC has announced the schedule for the 10th edition of the T20I World Cup, to be held in February 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, which will feature 20 teams competing across eight venues over 29 days.
The countdown to the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup officially began today as the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the full schedule, confirming that defending champions India will kick off their title defence against the USA on the opening day, February 7, 2026, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The complete groups are as follows:
Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B: Sri Lanka, Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy
Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE
The tournament opener in Mumbai is set to be a significant fixture, especially following the high-profile Group A clash between the two sides in the 2024 edition.
India’s Group Stage Fixtures
Placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, the USA, Netherlands, and Namibia, India's full schedule promises a challenging but exciting start:
- February 7: India vs USA at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- February 12: India vs Namibia at Arun Jaitly Stadium, New Delhi
- February 15: India vs Pakistan at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo
- February 18: India vs Netherlands at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match will take place in Colombo on February 15, honouring the mutual venue agreement between the boards. The Men in Blue, who clinched the title in a thrilling final in 2024, will be under immense pressure to defend their crown on home soil. Mumbai, along with New Delhi and Ahmedabad, is set to be a key venue for the defending champions during the group stage.
The tournament will follow the same 20-team format as the 2024 edition, progressing from a Group Stage to a Super Eights phase, followed by semi-finals, and culminating in the Final on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (with a contingency plan to shift the final to Colombo if Pakistan qualifies for the final).
The schedule announcement was made at an event in Mumbai, presence of the ICC officials and cricket legends, marking the formal start of the road to the T20I World Cup 2026.