T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table: Updated Team Rankings And Net Run Rate After Ireland, England, South Africa Collect Wins
Matchday eight of the ICC T20 World Cup on Saturday, February 14, 2026, saw Ireland, England and South Africa take two points apiece, producing fresh movement in the group standings and sharpening qualification permutations ahead of the final group fixtures. Big individual displays and one mammoth total were the headlines as the race to the Super 8 intensified.
Matchday round-up: big totals and match-winning knocks
At the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo (kick-off 12: 30 a. m. ET), Ireland produced one of the tournament’s most eye-catching innings. Put in to bat, Ireland recovered from 64-4 through a 101-run rescue stand between Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany. George Dockrell then exploded late with a nine-ball 35 featuring five sixes to hoist Ireland to 235 for 5 — the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history. Tucker finished unbeaten on 94, the highest individual score for Ireland in this edition.
Oman offered resistance through Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza with a 73-run partnership but collapsed from 97-2 to all out for 139, handing Ireland a 96-run victory and a big boost to their run rate.
At Eden Gardens in Kolkata (kick-off 4: 30 a. m. ET), England edged a nervy chase against Scotland. England captain Harry Brook put Scotland in and saw his bowlers dismiss the visitors for 152, with Richie Berrington top-scoring with 49 and Adil Rashid returning figures of 3-36. England lost two early wickets but Tom Banton’s unbeaten 63 steered the chase home, supported by Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran, as England finished on 155 for 5 in 18. 2 overs.
Later at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (kick-off 8: 30 a. m. ET), South Africa prevailed over New Zealand. New Zealand, sent in, posted 175 for 7 after a middle-order rearguard effort, but Proteas captain Aiden Markram detonated the chase with a blistering start, reaching a 19-ball half-century and finishing 86 not out as South Africa wrapped up the win with 17 overs unused.
Points table impact and qualification picture
Saturday’s results produced meaningful shifts. Ireland’s emphatic win left them level on points with Australia in their group, though their position in the table remained unchanged for now; the big boost to Ireland’s net run rate could prove decisive if points end level. England climbed from fourth to second in their group after the win over Scotland, strengthening their bid to progress. South Africa’s comprehensive victory displaced New Zealand at the top of their group, giving the Proteas a clearer route toward the Super 8s.
The middle phases of the group stage remain tightly contested. One group in particular will be watched closely: Australia faces must-win fixtures and sits on the cusp of elimination unless it secures victories in remaining matches. In that scenario, net run rate becomes a crucial tiebreaker; three-way ties on six points are a realistic possibility in some groups and will leave qualification to arithmetic as much as performance on the field.
Certain teams’ margins for error have narrowed dramatically. One side has already been eliminated from contention after losing multiple matches, while others must win their remaining fixtures outright to keep Super 8 hopes alive. The final set of group fixtures will decide which sides progress and which will be left calculating scenarios.
With 16 group matches remaining and qualification hanging on both results and net run rate, teams will head into the upcoming fixtures aware that both winning and the manner of winning will be decisive. Fans can expect high stakes and aggressive cricket as the race to the Super 8 reaches its climax.
