T20 World Cup: India, Pakistan face off in group tie in Colombo on 15 February
Fixtures released in glitzy ceremony in Mumbai; Ahmedabad allotted final on 8 March with caveat on Pakistan
It’s after 2016 that the T20 World Cup will be coming back to India—though the marquee league game between India and Pakistan will be held in Colombo on February 15 as per the agreement between the two boards earlier this year. Sri Lanka, co hosts of the marquee event, will be hosting their own matches as well as that of Pakistan—as the later will not be playing in India as well agreement before ICC Champions Trophy.
The battlelines were drawn in a glitzy ceremony in Mumbai where the groupings and fixtures were officially released for the event to be held from 7 February to 8 March next year. India are the defending champions, having won the tournament last year in the US and the West Indies— meaning that expectations will be sky high for Surya Kumar Yadav’s team to become the first to win back-to-back trophies.
India is placed in Group A alongside the USA, Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands. A total of 20 teams—India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, West Indies, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, England, Netherlands, Italy and Nepal—will take part in the biggest ever World T20 since it’s inception in 2007.
Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will host the tournament’s final, with the caveat that if Pakistan, which played in the finals of the 2007 and 2022 T20 World Cups and lifted the title in 2009 under Younis Khan’s leadership, manage to qualify for the final, then the summit clash will be played in Sri Lanka.
Former India captain Rohit Sharma, who led the Men in Blue to end their ICC jinx last year, has been named as the brand ambassador of the event while the extravaganza was attended by the current T20I captain Surya and Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of ICC Women’s World Cup winning team earlier this month. The eight venues across seven cities shortlisted across two countries are Ahmedabad; Mumbai; Kolkata; Chennai; Delhi; Colombo (Premadasa Stadium & Sinhalese Sports Club) and Kandy.
An elated Rohit, looking much fitter and raring to go for the ODI series against South Africa from 30 November, said: "Great privilege for me. Great honour. While playing (still being an active player), no one has been named as an ambassador in cricket. Hope to create same magic as last year. Huge task to win ICC trophy: have experienced personally."
''I have completed 18 years in cricket - won two ICC trophies at the beginning at the career and then a couple now over the last couple of years. But we remember how desperate we were as a team and as the management to win ICC trophies in the middle years," Rohit said.
The Covid pandemic came in the way of the event being held in India in 2021 as it had to be shifted to the UAE. The Caribbeans, led by Darren Sammy, went on to win the trophy in the 2016 edition, beating England in a sensational final. Kolkata and Mumbai have been awarded the semi-finals on 4th and 5th March, respectively, though it could be Colombo hosting the first semi-final in case Pakistan makes the last four.
India’s fixtures
Feb 7, 2026: India vs USA, Mumbai
Feb 12: India vs Namibia, New Delhi
Feb 15: India vs Pakistan, Colombo
Feb 18: India vs The Netherlands, Ahmedabad