England T20 WC 2026 Schedule: Dates, Times, Venues

Article Highlights

• England start with a day-game “banana skin” vs Nepal at Wankhede (Feb 8) — lose that and the tournament turns nasty fast.

• The schedule flips from Mumbai’s batting runway to Kolkata’s spin-and-dew chaos in six days. That’s where England usually get exposed.

• England’s biggest problem might not be cricket at all: Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed visa delays threaten their prep for the slow stuff.

The straight answer: England’s group-stage fixtures (dates, times, venues)

If you searched England T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, you want the match list first, not a 900-word warm-up.

England are in Group C with West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal and Italy.

Here are England’s group matches, with England Match Timings GMT and local (IST):

Match listings: Nepal game • West Indies game • Bangladesh game • Italy game

England Schedule PDF: Here you go — Download England Schedule PDF

“When England playing T20 WC?” Here’s the rhythm of their tournament

England’s group stage is basically two mini-tours stitched together:

• Mumbai (Feb 8 & 11): hit-through-the-line cricket, short boundaries, and if there’s dew at night you can chase like it’s a video game.

• Kolkata (Feb 14 & 16): slower surfaces are common, spinners come into play earlier, and the ball can get greasy later on.

That switch matters because England’s default setting is “see ball, hit ball.” Works at Wankhede. Can fall apart at Eden when the ball grips and the field closes in.

Match-by-match: what can actually go wrong (and right)

Feb 8: England vs Nepal (Wankhede, 3 PM IST)

This is the kind of opener England fans pretend is “routine”… right until it isn’t.

It’s a day match. That usually means a drier surface early, and if Nepal bowl smart slow stuff, England’s top order could easily gift wickets trying to win the game in the first 12 balls. England’s job is simple: win big and bank net run rate. Lose, and you’re suddenly playing “must-win” cricket against West Indies and Bangladesh.

Feb 11: England vs West Indies (Wankhede, 7 PM IST)

This is the group’s heavyweight fight — power hitters everywhere, and the innings can change in one over.

Wankhede has leaned towards chasing in IPL results (batting second has won 53.78% of matches in one dataset), which makes the toss feel louder than it should.

England’s best play here is to stop thinking like tourists. Go hard, yes — but also bowl like grown-ups: hard lengths, cutters, and protect the straight boundary. West Indies don’t need gifts.

Feb 14: England vs Bangladesh (Eden Gardens, 3 PM IST)

This is England’s danger game. Not the glamorous one — the one that quietly kills campaigns.

Bangladesh will happily bowl spin in bulk and dare you to hit into the pitch. And Eden has recently shown a tilt where spin can be harder to score off than pace (one IPL 2025 breakdown had spinners going cheaper and striking better than seamers).

If England try to “muscle” this, they’ll end up 62/4 and arguing with themselves.

This is where Ben Duckett and Will Jacks become priceless: sweep, reverse, work twos, make spin look boring. That’s how you win in Kolkata.

Feb 16: England vs Italy (Eden Gardens, 3 PM IST)

Yes, it still sounds weird to say out loud.

This should be England’s net run rate booster, and also the best chance to rotate a quick if legs are heavy. But England have a habit of playing down to the occasion when the opposition isn’t famous. The only acceptable result here is a professional, slightly ruthless win.

What England’s schedule says about their tactics (whether they admit it or not)

England’s group setup screams: front-load aggression in Mumbai, then survive Kolkata without brain fades.

That means:

• Pick your best spin hitters and give them clear roles.

• Don’t treat 150 as “below par” at Eden if the pitch is sticky.

• Bowlers must have slower-ball plans ready. If you’re trying to blast teams out with pure pace on a tired Kolkata strip, you’re bowling to the crowd, not the conditions.

Harry Brook’s England: new captain, old problems

England have handed the keys to Harry Brook, which is both exciting and slightly terrifying. The ECB and ICC releases have been pretty clear: Brook leads the white-ball group into the Sri Lanka build-up and the World Cup.

He’s a brilliant batter. But captaincy in India is a different sport. Every over is noise — crowds, dew, slow pitches, and the constant temptation to “do something” instead of doing the right thing.

And yes, Brook arrives with baggage after off-field scrutiny earlier in the cycle. The point isn’t moral panic — it’s distraction. England can’t afford a messy week when their group stage is this tight.

The headache England didn’t need: Rashid and Rehan Ahmed visa delays

England’s campaign could be shaped by bureaucracy.

There have been credible reports that Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed faced visa delays that threatened warm-up availability — a serious issue when your hardest games are on surfaces where wrist spin is gold dust.

If England go into key prep time without their main spin weapons, they’re basically walking into Kolkata undercooked. And in T20 World Cups, “we’ll figure it out on the night” is how you fly home early.

Format check: what England need to qualify

The tournament is four groups of five, with the top two from each group reaching the Super 8s, then semis and a final.

So, England realistically need:

• 3 wins to feel safe

• 2 wins might still squeak through depending on net run rate (but that’s living dangerously)

My take: England’s ceiling is high - but Kolkata is the exam

England can absolutely top this group. They’ve got enough firepower to blow anyone away at Wankhede.

But here’s the thing: England don’t usually lose World Cups because they’re not talented. They lose them because they refuse to play the boring over when the pitch demands boring. If Brook’s England learn that lesson in Kolkata, they’re a serious threat deep into March.

If they don’t? Same story, different year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are England’s match dates, times and venues for T20 WC 2026?

Feb 8 vs Nepal (Wankhede, 3 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT), Feb 11 vs West Indies (Wankhede, 7 PM IST / 1:30 PM GMT), Feb 14 vs Bangladesh (Eden, 3 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT), Feb 16 vs Italy (Eden, 3 PM IST / 9:30 AM GMT).

When is England’s first match in the T20 World Cup 2026?

England begin on February 8, 2026 vs Nepal in Mumbai.

Which group are England in?

England are in Group C with West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal and Italy.

Can I download England’s schedule as a PDF?

Yes — Download England Schedule PDF

Who is captaining England at the 2026 T20 World Cup?

Harry Brook is named captain for the provisional World Cup squad.

Why are people talking about visa issues for England?

Because reports said Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed faced visa delays that could disrupt warm-ups — a big deal with matches in spin-friendly conditions.