ICC Clarifies Preparations for 2026 Men's T20 World Cup Co-Hosted by Sri Lanka and India

🏏 Web Article: ICC Clarifies Preparations for 2026 Men's T20 World Cup Co-Hosted by Sri Lanka and India

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA — The International Cricket Council (ICC) has provided clarity on the preparations for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup, scheduled to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India next year.

The tournament is set to commence on February 7 and conclude with the final on March 8, 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.

Venues Confirmed and Neutral Host Arrangement

The Indian leg of the tournament will be centered around five major cities: Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai.

While the final decision on the Sri Lankan venues is still pending, the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium have been selected as the likely hosts.

A significant point of agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dictates that when either country is a tournament host, their matches against each other will be played at a neutral venue. Due to this arrangement:

• Pakistan will play all of its matches in the tournament in Sri Lanka.
• If Pakistan qualifies for the final, the championship match will also be relocated to Sri Lanka.

Tournament Format and Participants

The 2026 T20 World Cup will feature 20 teams, divided into four groups of five. The tournament structure is as follows:

1. Group Stage: The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super Eight stage.
2. Super Eight: The eight remaining teams will be split into two groups of four.
3. Semi-Finals: The top two teams from each Super Eight group will qualify for the Semi-Finals.

Qualified Teams: In addition to the co-hosts India and Sri Lanka, the qualified teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the United States, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Nepal, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Schedule Announcement Imminent

According to ICC criteria, the match schedule must be released three months before the tournament begins. Given the February start date, the schedule is highly likely to be released in the upcoming week. (NewsCenter)