Mumbai To Host Marquee T20 WC 2026 Game, Ahmedabad Handed Additional Honour Alongside Final: Report

The International Cricket Council and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have decided to follow the same allotment for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 as they did for the Men's 2023 Cricket World Cup for the marquee games, which will take place in five marquee centres in India. As per a report by the Indian Express, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will not just host the final of the tournament but also the opening game. The tournament is set to take place from 7th February to 8th March, but a confirmation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) is imminent, with reports stating that the BCCI have submitted the draft schedule to the world cricket governing body. The same report has also stated that the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will also host one semi-final of the tournament. Overall, five venues in India will host the competition, with Chennai, Delhi, and Kolkata also circled in, with all centres set to get at least six matches each. Bengaluru is set to miss out as the fallout from the stampede continues, but the city could host warm-up games, although it has not decided if the Chinnaswamy Stadium will be used or the BCCI's Centre of Excellence grounds will be used. If the ICC decides to go ahead with the plan, it will be similar to the allotment of the 2023 World Cup where also the opening match and final were hosted in Ahmedabad while one semi-final took place at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, which was played by Team India. The second semi-final was played at Kolkata's Eden Gardens two years ago, but this time it could take place in Sri Lanka. However, unlike the 2023 World Cup, which was hosted in 10 centres, this tournament will only see use of five cities in India. The Sri Lanka Arrangment It is worth noting that India is not sole host of the tournament but is jointly hosting it with Sri Lanka. It has been reported that alongside five venues in India, three centres in the Island nation will host matches. While the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and Pallekele are set to host games, the third venue will either be Dambulla or Hambantota. Also Read: India's World Record Broken In 44 Days! Temba Bavuma-Starrer South Africa Creates History VS Rishabh Pant-Led Side As per an arrangment made between BCCI, PCB, and ICC before the 2025 Champions Trophy, Pakistan will not travel to India. If the two teams meet each other other ground in the group stage, the match will take place in Colombo. If either of Pakistan or Sri Lanka makes the semi-finals, one knockout clash will take place in Colombo. If the Men in Green reach the final, the summit clash will also take place at the Premadasa Stadium. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Sports, Cricket and around the world.