Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to renew their rivalry at the 2026 T20 World Cup, with their group-stage clash scheduled for February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
There had been speculation that India might avoid facing Pakistan in the league stage due to ongoing political tensions following the Pahalgam attack. However, as reported by Sportstar, both teams have indeed been drawn into the same group alongside the USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands.
If sources are accurate, defending champions India will open their campaign against the USA on February 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Their second match is likely to be played against Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, before they travel to Colombo for the highly anticipated showdown against Pakistan. India’s final league match is scheduled for February 18 against the Netherlands at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Should India qualify for the semifinals, their knockout match will be held at the Wankhede Stadium on March 4, while the first semifinal will take place in Colombo. The final of the 20-team tournament is set for March 8 in Ahmedabad. This will be the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007.
India enter the tournament in exceptional T20 form. They lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean under Rohit Sharma, beating South Africa in the final at Bridgetown. They also clinched the Asia Cup in September, defeating Pakistan three times including in the final in Dubai, and recently secured a 2-1 T20I series win in Australia. Their next assignment is a five-match T20I series at home against South Africa in December.
Meanwhile, Pakistan are currently competing in a home tri-series featuring Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as they prepare for the global event.
