ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – All the details

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka is just a few days away, here’s what you need to know.

From the fixture schedule and participating teams to the fundamental rules of the competition, we’ve got everything you need covered.

The tournament’s 10^th edition will get underway on Saturday 7^th February, with Pakistan taking on the Netherlands in Colombo at 09:30 GST.

The opening day features two other fixtures as well, as West Indies face Scotland at 13:30, followed by India against the USA at 19:30.

The tournament begins with a 20-team group phase made up of four groups of five, running through to February 20^th. There will be three matches each day, played at the same time slots as the first day’s games, except on the final day of the group stage, which will see a single match starting at 17:30.

The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 8, with one or two games scheduled daily at 13:30 and 17:30, leading into the semi-finals on 4^th and 5^th March.

The competition concludes with the final on Sunday, 8^th March, which will be held in Ahmedabad and begins at 17:30 GST.

The ICC World Cup will be available live on CricLife MAX for UAE viewers, the official TV broadcaster for the Middle East and North Africa region. This means you can watch every match, along with highlights and expert coverage, through your local TV provider.

If you prefer streaming, all matches will also be available on the STARZPLAY app, which carries the CricLife channels across the UAE and MENA. This lets you watch live on your phone, tablet, or smart TV, just make sure you have the required subscription.

A total of 20 teams will compete in this year’s ICC World Cup. The participants have secured their spots either through strong results in past tournaments and their ICC rankings or by advancing through the qualifying rounds.

The 20 sides are split into the following four groups in the initial phase:

Group A: India, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan, USA

Group B: Australia, Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe

Group C: England, Italy, Nepal, Scotland, West Indies

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates

The World Cup begins with a group stage featuring 20 teams divided into four groups of five. Each team plays four matches, facing every other team in their group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the next phase, with points awarded as follows: two points for a win, one for a no result, and none for a loss.

After the group stage, the tournament moves into the Super 8s, where the eight qualifying teams are placed into two groups of four based on pre-determined seedings rather than their finishing positions. Each team plays three matches in this round, and the top two teams from each Super 8 group progress to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals then face off in the final to decide the champion.

Eight venues will host matches in the tournament, with five located in India and three in Sri Lanka.

In India, fixtures will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Sri Lanka’s matches will be held at R Premadasa Stadium and Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, both in Colombo, as well as Pallekele Cricket Stadium.

The final is scheduled to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket ground with a capacity of 132,000, unless Pakistan reach the final, in which case the match would be moved to Colombo.

The tournament follows the T20 format, meaning each team has a maximum of 20 overs to bat unless they are bowled out earlier or the chasing side reaches the target before completing the overs.

Each innings begins with a six-over powerplay during which specific fielding restrictions apply. A match is expected to last around three hours and ten minutes, with each innings allotted one hour and twenty-five minutes and a 20-minute break in between.

A “stop-clock” rule is in place in limited-overs cricket, requiring the bowling team to begin each over within 60 seconds of the previous over ending. Each team is also allowed two unsuccessful reviews per innings.

If both teams finish on the same score after 20 overs, the game goes to a Super Over, where each side faces six balls and the higher score wins. If the Super Over is tied, additional Super Overs are played until a winner emerges.

To constitute an official result, at least five overs per side must be completed during the group stages, while the semi-finals and final require a minimum of ten overs per side. If weather interrupts play after these minimums are met, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method is used to determine the outcome.

If you’re looking for the most exciting teams to follow in the T20 World Cup 2026, India and England are good picks. India, as co-hosts, will bring huge energy, strong home support, and a deep squad packed with world-class talent. England are known for their aggressive, high-scoring approach, making their matches thrilling from the first ball.

Other teams that promise great entertainment include, Australia, and South Africa. Australia’s consistent power and tactical strength make them a top contender. South Africa offers a balanced squad with powerful all-rounders and big hitters. If you want pure fireworks, West Indies are another team worth watching for their explosive batting.