The T20 World Cup may be held from February 7 to March 8 next year. This time, India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the tournament. News agency PTI, citing a report from ESPNcricinfo, stated that matches will be held in at least five locations in India.
Sports News: The most thrilling T20 tournament in the cricket world is set to begin next year from February. According to the ICC, the T20 World Cup 2026 can be organized from February 7 to March 8. This time, India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the event. The format of the tournament and the venues for the matches have been decided and shared with the participating teams.
Match Distribution Between India and Sri Lanka
According to the report, T20 World Cup matches will be held in at least five locations in India, while two stadiums in Sri Lanka will host matches. The final will be hosted in Ahmedabad or Colombo. However, this will depend on whether Pakistan reaches the final. Since the Indian and Pakistani teams are not playing in each other's countries, matches between them will be held at a neutral venue.
Tournament Format
The format of the T20 World Cup 2026 will remain the same as in 2024. A total of 20 teams will participate, divided into four groups, with each group containing five to three teams. (Note: The original Hindi text mentioned "पांच-तीन टीमें" which can be interpreted as "five to three teams" or potentially a typo. Assuming it means "five teams" per group for a balanced structure.)
- Group Stage: The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eight stage.
- Super Eight: The eight teams will be divided into two groups. The top two teams from each group will secure a place in the semi-finals.
- Final: The teams winning their semi-finals will compete in the final.
A total of 55 matches will be played in this tournament. The Indian team is the defending champion, having won the title by defeating South Africa in the 2024 final.
Qualified Teams
As of now, a total of 15 teams have qualified for the T20 World Cup 2026. These include:
- India
- Sri Lanka
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- England
- South Africa
- USA
- West Indies
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Ireland
- Canada
- Netherlands
- Italy
The remaining five teams will come through qualifiers.
- The remaining five teams will be selected from qualifier tournaments.
- Africa region: Two teams
- Asia and East Asia Pacific region: Three teams
Thus, a total of 20 teams will be included in the T20 World Cup. This edition of the T20 World Cup will not only be exciting for cricket fans but is also a moment of pride for India and Sri Lanka. Major cities in India such as Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore will host matches, giving domestic spectators an opportunity to watch live matches from the stadium.
