ICC Men’s T20 World Cup begins Feb. 7 as 20-team event opens in India, Sri Lanka
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is underway on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 (ET), launching a month-long tournament across India and Sri Lanka that runs through March 8. The event expands the pressure points that make T20 so volatile: 20 teams, a packed group phase, and a Super 8 round that can flip a title run in a matter of days.
The opener is set in Colombo, and the first weekend brings immediate spotlight matchups, including co-hosts and defending champions India starting their campaign on opening day.
A tournament built for fast swings
This edition features 55 matches and a format designed to reward both explosiveness and consistency. The group stage creates the usual early chaos—net run rate, shortened chases, and upset potential—before the schedule tightens into higher-quality opposition in the Super 8.
For teams, the challenge is balancing aggression with damage control. A single collapse can be costly, but conservative play can be just as dangerous when net run rate becomes the separator.
Key dates and the schedule spine
If you only follow a handful of days, these are the dates that define the tournament’s arc (ET). Match times vary by venue and day-night scheduling.
| Stage marker | Date (ET) | What it signals |
|---|---|---|
| Tournament opener | Feb. 7, 2026 | First matches begin (Colombo hosts the opener) |
| Super 8 begins | Feb. 22, 2026 | Eight teams advance; tougher matchups start |
| Semi-final 1 | March 4, 2026 | Knockout phase begins |
| Semi-final 2 | March 5, 2026 | Second finalist decided |
| Final | March 8, 2026 | Championship match; final venue not yet confirmed |
The final is scheduled for March 8, with the host city still listed as to be confirmed between Ahmedabad and Colombo.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup format and groups
The opening phase is split into four groups of five, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super 8. The Super 8 then becomes two groups of four, with the top two from each moving on to the semifinals.
Group composition sets the early tone:
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Group A: India, Pakistan, United States, Netherlands, Namibia
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Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman
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Group C: England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal, Italy
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Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, United Arab Emirates
The structure encourages urgency. Teams that start slowly can still qualify, but they usually need a clean finish—and often a helpful net run rate cushion.
Venues and travel: what matters for teams
Matches are spread across eight grounds: five in India and three in Sri Lanka. That layout can create subtle advantages—teams that settle quickly into conditions (pitch pace, dew patterns, boundary dimensions) often look sharper by the second match.
India’s games are staged in major hubs including Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Sri Lanka’s fixtures are centered around Colombo (two grounds) and Kandy. With short turnaround times common in the schedule, travel and recovery become a competitive edge, particularly for fast-bowling units and teams that rely on high-intensity fielding.
What to watch in the opening week
Early matches tend to reveal which sides are most adaptable, not just most talented. Three themes usually decide the first round of narratives:
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Powerplay intent vs. risk: Teams that maximize the first six overs without losing early wickets often control the match tempo.
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Spin matchups: In subcontinent conditions, middle-overs spin control can be the difference between 165 and 190.
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Death-overs execution: Close games often come down to one over of hitting or one over of bowling under pressure.
From here, the tournament’s “must-watch” moments typically arrive in waves: the final two group games for contenders on the bubble, the first Super 8 matchday (when the true difficulty spike hits), and then the semifinal bracket once it’s set.
Sources consulted: International Cricket Council, ESPNcricinfo, Al Jazeera, Sky Sports
