New Delhi: The T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on 7 February. Ahead of the main tournament, several teams will play warm-up matches to get acclimated to the conditions and ensure peak performance.
Most international teams are already engaged in limited-overs series to adapt to subcontinental conditions. New Zealand is currently in India for a T20 series, Australia is touring Pakistan, England is playing Sri Lanka, and West Indies is facing Afghanistan. Despite these ongoing series, warm-up matches have been scheduled to give all teams additional preparation time.
India’s Warm-Up Matches
Team India will play a warm-up match against South Africa on 4 February at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. The match will serve as an opportunity to test the fitness of injured players like Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar.
Interestingly, India-A has also been included in the warm-up matches. This is aimed at giving the country’s emerging talent international exposure and a chance to impress the selection committee ahead of the main tournament.
Complete Warm-Up Match Schedule
2 February
- Afghanistan vs Scotland (Bengaluru, 3 PM)
- India-A vs USA (Navi Mumbai, 5 PM)
- Canada vs Italy (Chennai, 7 PM)
3 February
- Sri Lanka-A vs Oman (Colombo, 1 PM)
- Netherlands vs Zimbabwe (Colombo, 3 PM)
- Nepal vs UAE (Chennai, 5 PM)
4 February
- Namibia vs Scotland (Bengaluru, 1 PM)
- Afghanistan vs West Indies (Bengaluru, 3 PM)
- Ireland vs Pakistan (Colombo, 5 PM)
- India vs South Africa (Navi Mumbai, 7 PM)
5 February
- Oman vs Zimbabwe (Colombo, 1 PM)
- Canada vs Nepal (Chennai, 3 PM)
- New Zealand vs USA (Navi Mumbai, 7 PM)
6 February
- Italy vs UAE (Chennai, 3 PM)
- India-A vs Namibia (Bengaluru, 5 PM)
No warm-up matches have been scheduled for England and Australia, as both teams are currently engaged in bilateral series—England in Sri Lanka and Australia in Pakistan—allowing them to maintain match practice before the tournament.
Why India-A Gets a Spot
Including India-A in the warm-up matches allows young and emerging players to compete against senior international teams. These matches offer an ideal platform for bench players and potential national team candidates to showcase their skills and grab the attention of selectors ahead of the World Cup.
T20 World Cup 2026 Key Points
- Tournament begins: 7 February 2026
- 20 teams divided into 4 groups; matches in India and Sri Lanka
- Each group: 10 matches among 5 teams
- Top 2 teams from each group qualify for Super-8 stage
- Super-8 matches start: 21 February
- Semi-finals: 4–5 March
- Final: 8 March
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