India T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule: Dates, Venues, Timing in IST

Highlights:

• India’s four Group A games are all prime-time: 7:00 PM IST on Feb 7, 12, 15 and 18 — opener at Wankhede, and yes, India vs Pakistan is in Colombo.

• Four matches, four very different tests: Mumbai bounce + dew, Delhi’s slower grind, Colombo spin + toss drama, then Ahmedabad’s big-boundary runway.

• The draw isn’t “luck of the lot” anymore: India’s A1 tag locks their Super 8 lane — and if the usual suspects qualify, Australia/West Indies/South Africa are sitting there like bouncers at the door.

India T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule (Group A): match dates, venues, time (IST)

If you searched India T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, you want the fixtures first — not a thesis. Here you go. India start their title defence on Saturday, February 7 in Mumbai, and the group stage wraps for them on Wednesday, February 18 in Ahmedabad.

India Group Stage Matches (all start 7:00 PM IST)

When is India playing T20 World Cup 2026?

• First match: Feb 7 vs USA (Mumbai, 7 PM IST)

• Biggest group game: Feb 15 vs Pakistan (Colombo, 7 PM IST)

India Complete Schedule PDF Download

I’ve made a clean one-page PDF with India’s group fixtures (IST) that you can save/share: Download the PDF

India venue list (for India’s matches) — and what each ground will demand

The funny thing about India’s “home” World Cup this time: it doesn’t feel like one long home season. It’s four different environments in 11 days.

Wankhede, Mumbai (Feb 7 vs USA)

Wankhede at night is classic: true bounce, fast outfield, and dew that can turn defending into a soap-bar exercise. India opening the tournament here vs USA is spicy because you know there’s a “relax lads, it’s an associate” trap waiting. (Ask a few big teams how that went in past T20 World Cups.) The fixture is confirmed as India’s opener on Feb 7 at Wankhede.

What wins here: powerplay batting with intent, and bowlers who can nail a hard length even when the ball’s wet.

Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi (Feb 12 vs Namibia)

Delhi can be a grindy pitch by comparison — slower, more stop-start, and it rewards bowlers who take pace off without panicking. India’s second game is Feb 12 in Delhi vs Namibia.

What wins here: proper matchup planning. Don’t let it become “we’ll roll them in 12 overs” arrogance. If the surface is tacky, it’s a “take your 175 and run” kind of night.

R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (Feb 15 vs Pakistan)

This is the headline: India vs Pakistan is scheduled in Colombo, not India.

Premadasa is often slower, more spin-friendly, and humidity can make the toss feel louder than it should be in a World Cup game.

What wins here: calm batting through the middle overs and a spin plan that isn’t just “hope the pitch turns.”

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad (Feb 18 vs Netherlands)

Big ground, big occasion energy, and a surface that can play very true. India close the group stage here vs Netherlands on Feb 18.

What wins here: running hard. Ahmedabad can punish lazy twos more than it punishes mistimed hits.

Why is India vs Pakistan in Sri Lanka (if India is hosting)?

Because geopolitics runs this tournament’s logistics. The ICC has confirmed that all of Pakistan’s matches will be played in Sri Lanka.

That’s the “hybrid model” in plain English.

And it gets even wilder. The ICC’s own schedule announcement spells out the contingency:

• If Pakistan make the semi-finals, Colombo can replace Kolkata for one semi-final.

• If Pakistan make the final, the final can shift from Ahmedabad to Colombo.

So yes, there’s a world where the host nation could be dragged into a “home World Cup final” that isn’t at home. Cricket administration, everyone.

India’s A1 seeding: what it means for Super 8s (and why fans should care)

Here’s the bit most fans miss until it’s too late: the Super 8s are tied to pre-assigned seed labels. The ICC confirmed teams will be placed into the Super Eights according to pre-determined seedings.

India are A1, and if they qualify, they roll into the Super 8s with a fixed tag (often referenced as X1 in the ICC’s seeding grid).

So who could India face in Super 8s?

If the big guns do their job in the group stage, the ICC’s seeding map points to a brutal set of likely opponents — Australia, West Indies, South Africa sitting in India’s lane.

My take: I actually like this. World Cups are supposed to be hard. If you want to defend a title, you don’t ask for a soft runway — you ask for a proper exam.

Squad talking points that actually matter for these fixtures

A schedule isn’t just dates. It’s matchups. And India’s build-up has been loud for three reasons: selection, injuries, and balance.

Shubman Gill missing out: a message, not an accident

Gill has been left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, with Suryakumar Yadav named captain.

This is India telling you exactly what they want: top-order aggression and faster starts, even if it means leaving out a “pretty” batter.

Rishabh Pant’s oblique tear makes the wicketkeeper spot a live story

Pant has been ruled out of the New Zealand ODI series with a side strain (oblique muscle tear).

With India’s first World Cup game on Feb 7, that timeline is tight in T20 terms — you don’t want a half-fit Pant trying to heave on a tacky Delhi pitch or twisting in Colombo’s humidity.

Tilak Varma’s surgery: middle-order balance watch

Tilak Varma underwent surgery for an abdominal issue and was ruled out of the first three T20Is vs New Zealand by the BCCI.

Even if he races back, match sharpness before a World Cup is a real thing, not a motivational quote.

One more late worry: Washington Sundar’s injury niggle

Washington Sundar was ruled out of the remaining NZ ODIs due to rib discomfort and is set for further scans, per Reuters.

If India lose a spin-bowling all-rounder option, it matters more in Delhi/Colombo than it does in a batting-fest.

A quick word on Group A opponents (because this group can bite)

The ICC has Group A as India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan.

• USA first up is awkward in the best way: opening-night pressure + a team that’s played fearlessly in recent global events.

• Namibia/Netherlands won’t beat you with “wow,” they beat you with discipline — and if India get cute with experimentation, these are the games that turn into 168-chase-at-8.4-per-over panic.

• Pakistan in Colombo is its own universe. Form tables don’t survive that fixture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is India’s first match in the T20 World Cup 2026?

India open on February 7, 2026 vs USA at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (7:00 PM IST).

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026: date, venue, time?

February 15, 2026, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, 7:00 PM IST.

Are all India match timings in IST?

Yes — and even the Sri Lanka games line up neatly because Sri Lanka’s local time matches IST. India’s group games are all listed at 7:00 PM.

What happens if Pakistan reach the semi-finals or final?

The ICC has stated Colombo can replace Kolkata for a semi-final involving Pakistan, and the final can shift from Ahmedabad to Colombo if Pakistan qualify.

Why was Shubman Gill left out of India's squad?

Because India are clearly committing to a specific T20 template. The ICC’s squad announcement confirms Gill misses out, with Suryakumar Yadav leading.

Is Rishabh Pant ruled out of the World Cup?

Not officially — but he’s out of the NZ ODIs with an oblique tear, and that makes his World Cup readiness a legit watch.

One last thought (and a prediction worth arguing about)

This India T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule looks friendly on paper because it’s four night games at familiar venues. The truth is harsher: the surfaces change every match, the Pakistan game is on neutral-ish turf, and the Super 8 lane is basically pre-loaded with monsters.

My prediction: India cruise the group if they stay professional… and then the tournament really starts in the Super 8s. If the spinners own the middle overs in Delhi and Colombo, India defend the title. If not, it’ll be one of those “we scored 196 and still looked nervous” World Cups.