Tournament co-hosts India will look to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions when the global event gets underway next month. The tenth edition of the T20 World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka, bringing together 20 teams in a month-long competition. The tournament will begin with Pakistan facing the Netherlands in the opening match.
The 20 teams have been divided into four groups, with each side playing the others in their group once in a round-robin format. Teams will earn two points for a win and one point each for a tie or no result. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 8s stage, where they will again compete in a round-robin format across two groups of four. The top two teams from each Super 8s group will qualify for the semi-finals, leading to the final scheduled to be played either in Ahmedabad or Colombo.
Group A features hosts India alongside Pakistan, the United States, the Netherlands and Namibia. Group B includes Australia, co-hosts Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman. Group C consists of England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal and Italy. Group D brings together New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
Matches will be staged at eight venues, with five stadiums in India and three in Sri Lanka. Indian venues include the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In Sri Lanka, games will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium and Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo, as well as the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
The T20 World Cup has a rich history, with India winning the inaugural edition in 2007 after defeating Pakistan. Pakistan claimed the title in 2009, followed by England in 2010. West Indies lifted the trophy in 2012, Sri Lanka won in 2014, and West Indies secured their second title in 2016. Australia emerged champions in 2021, England won again in 2022, and India claimed the most recent title in 2024 by defeating South Africa.
With a packed schedule, diverse venues and a mix of established and emerging cricketing nations, the upcoming T20 World Cup is set to deliver high-intensity action and global attention as teams compete for one of cricket’s most prestigious titles.
