India’s Super 8 campaign in their bid to become the first side to defend the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will begin at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The path to the semi-finals will not be straightforward, with Suryakumar Yadav’s side going up against three other group-stage toppers from the previous round in the round-robin gauntlet.
Now, a flawless run will set up India for the first semi-final scheduled to be played in Kolkata three days after their last Super 8 match against West Indies at the same venue on March 4. Except that the conditions aren’t as simple as they may seem, this time.
In a tournament where they are the co-hosts, with a larger pool of matches, India could still end up playing the entire knock-out phase of the World Cup in Sri Lanka. That will be down to the BCCI’s hybrid-model agreement with Pakistan, who will have the cushion of playing the entire tournament in Sri Lanka, provided they keep winning.
This also means that the probabilities of an India-Pakistan semi-final could be high in two different scenarios.
T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 schedule
How India and Pakistan could meet in a T20 World Cup semi-final in Colombo
Slotted in Group 1 and Group 2 of the Super 8s after emerging as the top two sides from the initial Group A, India and Pakistan can collide once again in the semi-final if they accord diagonal spots at the conclusion of the current stage. That is, if India finish as A1 and Pakistan B2 or vice-versa, they will be marked to play the first semi-final. Initially slotted for Kolkata, the first semi-final will then move to the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan’s qualification, regardless of India’s position, will move the semi-final out of India, with the second semi-final contest on March 5 fixed at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
India’s potential semi-final venues
- If India top Group 1 and Pakistan will not qualify – India will play the first semi-final in Kolkata on March 4
- If India top Group 1 and Pakistan finish second in Group 2 – India and Pakistan will meet in the first semi-final in Colombo on March 4
- If India finish second in Group 1 and Pakistan top Group 2 – India and Pakistan will meet in the first semi-final in Colombo on March 4
- If India and Pakistan finish first/second in Groups 1 and 2 – India will play the second-semifinal in Mumbai on March 5
- If India finish second in Group 1 and Pakistan fails to qualify – India will play the second-semifinal in Mumbai on March 5
Pakistan’s Super 8 campaign got off to an iffy start after rain washed out the Super 8 opener against New Zealand in Colombo. India and Pakistan last met in the knockouts of a T20 World Cup during the inuagural edition where the Men in Blue emerged victorious in the final by five runs.
EXPLAINED: T20 World Cup: Why India have to face fellow group-toppers in Super Eight
India’s Super 8 matches
- India vs South Africa – February 22 – 7:00 pm – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- India vs Zimbabwe – February 26 – 7:00 pm – MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- India vs West Indies – March 1 – 7:00 pm – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Pakistan’s Super 8 matches
- New Zealand vs Pakistan – February 21 – 7:00 pm – R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo – Match abandoned
- England vs Pakistan – February 24 – 7:00 pm – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
- Pakistan vs Sri Lanka – February 28 – 7:00 pm – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final schedule
Semi-Final 1 (A1 vs B2) – March 4 – 7:00 pm – Kolkata/Colombo
Semi-Final 2 (B1 vs A2) – March 5 – 7:00 pm – Mumbai
Final – March 8 – Ahmedabad/Colombo
