Sandip Janee
The 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup starts today. The tournament returns to the Indian shores after a decade and will be jointly hosted by India & Sri Lanka across iconic venues in cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Colombo, and Kandy from 7th February to 8th March 2026.
Held every two years, the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will feature 20 teams this year from across the world, with Italy qualifying for their first-ever World Cup.
The teams are divided into four groups, each comprising five teams.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – Groups
Group A – India, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan & USA
Group B – Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland & Oman
Group C – England, West Indies, Scotland, Italy & Nepal
Group D – South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada & UAE
The full tournament schedule is available here
Who are the likely semi-finalists?
India starts the tournament as the overwhelming favourites. It is rare to see such a huge gap in the top teams before a global tournament. India’s ability to score runs in the powerplay, the resurgence led by six-hitting maverick Abhishek Sharma and match-winners Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya and Bumrah, means that it would take a miracle to beat them. No team has won back-to-back World Cups, and no host nation has ever been crowned champions as well, which gives the Men in Blue a chance to create history.
Never bet against the Aussies. The last two series losses against India at Home (1-2) and a surprising whitewash against Pakistan (0-3) pose many questions for Mitchell Marsh and co. Their struggle to tackle spin, injuries to key players like Tim David and Josh Hazelwood, and with Pat Cummins and Steve Smith missing out, it’s a relatively young Aussie side that’s gunning for their second World Cup title. When it comes to World Cups, though, you rule out Australia at your own peril, and they start as strong contenders.
England have had the perfect preparation in Sri Lanka, whitewashing them 3-0 just before the tournament begins. They ticked all the boxes with Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, and Jacob Bethell, who used their spin to great effect. With Sam Curran’s wicket-taking abilities and Jofra Archer’s pace, they seem a formidable side with power-hitters such as Jos Butler, Harry Brook and Phil Salt to lead the batting. They have a relatively easy group draw against associate teams, which might help them fill any gaps before the big matches.
New Zealand makes up the fourth semi-finalist in the prediction list. Notwithstanding the dismal loss to India (1-4) in the last series, there are a lot of positives to carry them to the coveted semi-final spot. Opener Finn Allen is one of the most attacking players in the cricket world right now and comes fresh off a record-breaking BBL season with the Perth Scorchers. With Daryl Mitchell’s ability to play spin well and a balanced bowling attack including Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry and Lockie Fergusson, the only hurdle could be how well the spin-duo of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi perform on spin friendly wickets. If they fire, New Zealand could potentially be a serious finalist contender.
Who’s the dark horse?
With a semi-final outing in the last tournament, Afghanistan is the dark horse in the T20 World Cup with a high potential to reach the semis again. Captain Rashid Khan is a bowler perfectly suited to the sub-continental conditions, and if Noor Ahmed and Nabi come good, their spin attack could be lethal. With a strong batting lineup led by Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz and a handy mix of all-rounders, this could be their moment in the sun.
Where to watch the World Cup?
The T20 World Cup will be streamed live on the following channels across Australia & India:
India – Star Sports (TV channel) & JioHotstar (digital feed across 8 languages)
Australia – Prime Video (paid subscription), ABC Listen App & Sen Radio
Global – World-feed audio commentary in English via the ICC mobile app
Timings for Australia and India matches?
India will play all its matches (including group stage, semi-finals and finals) in the prime-time slots for Indian audiences. Matches begin at 7 pm Indian Standard Time (IST), which equates to 12:30 amfor Sydney, Melbourne, ACT & Hobart, 9:30 pm for Perth, 11:30 pm for Queensland and 12 am for Adelaide.
Australia’s opening match against Ireland will be streamed at 8:30 pm (AEDT) on February 11th, followed by a better start in the second match at 4:30 pm (AEDT) on February 13th against Zimbabwe. The last two group-stage games and the first two super eight stage matches will be streamed at 12:30 am (AEDT), while the third super eight game is back at the 8:30 pm (AEDT) slot. However, the semi-finals and finals will be streamed at 12:30 am (AEDT).
Contributing author: Sandip Janee is a Sydney-based sports marketing professional and Special Correspondent – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 for The Australia Today, covering match analysis, fan stories and video content. His deep-rooted passion for cricket and sport has led him to work across major global sporting and consumer brands over the past 14 years.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s personal opinions. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today, and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
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