India and Sri Lanka have been put among opposing sides in terms of theoretical difficulty for the T20 World Cup 2026. The competition will be co-hosted by the two from February 7 to March 8, next year.
India, currently the top-ranked T20I side in the ICC Rankings, and Pakistan, ranked eighth, are the only Test-playing teams in the 20-team event.
The high-voltage showdown is slated for February 15. Regardless of how the match plays out, both teams will be expected to qualify for the Super 8. The alliance also includes the Netherlands, Namibia, and the United States.
South Africa, the runners-up in 2024, has been grouped with New Zealand and Afghanistan. While Afghanistan is currently ranked tenth, they have long been a force to be reckoned with in the short format. The UAE and Canada round out South Africa’s group of teams.
Sri Lanka, the co-hosts, are currently ranked eighth in the T20I rankings and have been assigned to the third group for the 20-over spectacle at home, alongside Australia, Zimbabwe, and Ireland, as well as Oman.
Former T20 World Cup champions England and the West Indies have been drawn against Bangladesh. Nepal is the fourth team that has joined them. Newcomers Italy, ranked 28th, will compete in their first T20 World Cup in 2026 against these teams. South Africa, and specifically this group, may be worth keeping an eye on.
India will kickstart their tournament with a clash against the USA. They will then take on Namibia, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. The India-Pakistan contest will be played in Colombo. Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Ahmedabad will be the cities which will host the matches in India whereas Colombo and Kandy will be the two host cities from the island nation.
Unless Pakistan make it to the summit clash, Ahmedabad is slated to host the final. Depending on the teams which qualify for the semis, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Colombo have been selected as the venues. The International Cricket Council, as per, is set to disclose the draw in Mumbai on November 25.
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