The International Cricket Council has officially confirmed the groupings and fixtures for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The tournament, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will begin on 7 February and conclude on 8 March. A total of 20 teams will compete in the opening phase, divided into four groups of five. Each team will play four matches in the group stage before the competition moves into its next phase.
Bangladesh have been placed in Group C, a pool that promises considerable competition. Their group opponents are England, West Indies, Nepal and tournament debutants Italy. Bangladesh will take the field on the opening day of the event, a scheduling decision that adds early intensity to their campaign.
One of the most talked-about decisions is the placement of India and Pakistan in the same group. As anticipated, the two rivals have been drawn together in Group A, accompanied by the United States, Namibia and the Netherlands – three sides that have shown marked improvement in the shorter formats.
Group B features Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Oman. It is regarded as a well-balanced group in which several teams have the potential to challenge for the top two positions. Group D, meanwhile, includes South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. With Afghanistan’s impressive T20 pedigree and the consistency of South Africa and New Zealand, this group could quietly emerge as one of the most competitive.
At the end of the first round, the top two teams from each group – eight in total – will progress to the Super Eight phase. These teams will then be divided into two new groups, after which the top four will qualify for the semi-finals. The month-long tournament will culminate in the grand final on 8 March.
