T20 World Cup 2026: India–Pakistan clash date revealed as ICC unveils full schedule

The International Cricket Council has finally lifted the curtain on the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup — and with it, the date cricket fans around the world have been waiting for. The highly anticipated India–Pakistan showdown will take place on 15 February at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, a fixture already set to dominate global sporting headlines well before the first ball is bowled.

Unveiled at a special ICC event in Mumbai on 25 November, the schedule confirms that India and Sri Lanka will co-host the month-long tournament from 7 February to 8 March 2026. A total of 55 matches will be contested across eight venues, with 20 teams divided into four groups of five before the competition enters the Super Eight phase and the knockouts.

Defending champions India have been drawn in Group A, setting up the latest instalment of their storied rivalry with Pakistan, while the United States, Netherlands, and Namibia round out the group. The structure ensures a demanding path for Rohit Sharma’s side, whose group-stage fixtures have been geographically balanced across three Indian venues and Colombo.

The India–Pakistan fixture, long regarded as cricket’s most emotionally charged encounter, is poised to be the centrepiece of the group stage. With diplomatic tensions heightening the sporting stakes, the 15 February match in Colombo is expected to attract extraordinary global viewership and could significantly shape qualification for the Super Eight.