explainer
Al Jazeera’s guide to the next stage of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Published February 18, 2026
The second stage of the tournament begins on Saturday with eight contestants vying for a spot in the semi-finals of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Pakistan became the last team to qualify for the Super Eight with their win over Namibia on Wednesday, but former champions Australia’s early exit was the biggest shock in the group stage.
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Here’s what you need to know about the Super Eight.
Which teams have qualified for the T20 World Cup Super Eight?
The eight teams will be divided into two groups of four teams each, with India and Sri Lanka hosting one group each.
Group 1:
India South Africa West Indies Zimbabwe
Group 2:
United Kingdom New Zealand Pakistan Sri Lanka
Will teams carry over their points and net run rates in the Super Eight?
Neither points nor net run percentages carry over, giving both teams a chance to start with a clean slate.
How does Super Eight Group operate?
Each team plays the other three teams once, and the top two teams at the end of the round advance to the semifinals.
Just like in the group stage, if you win in the Super Eight, you will get 2 points, but if you lose, you will not get 0 points.
If the match is tied after each team’s 20 overs, a super over will be played until the result is decided.
What happens if it rains during the Super Eight game?
In the event of inclement weather, each team must play at least 5 overs for the match to be considered complete.
If the match is canceled due to rain, both teams will receive one point each and leave the game.
What is the full game schedule for the Super Eight Stage?
Saturday, February 21st
Pakistan vs New Zealand, 7pm (13:30 JST) – R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Sunday, February 22nd
Sri Lanka vs England, 3pm (9.30pm GMT) – Palekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
India vs South Africa, 7pm (13:30 JST) – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Monday, February 23rd
Zimbabwe vs West Indies 7pm (13:30 GMT) – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Tuesday, February 24th
England vs Pakistan, 7pm (13:30 GST) – Palekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Wednesday, February 25th
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 7:00pm (13:30 JST) – R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Thursday, February 26th
West Indies vs South Africa 3pm (09:30 GMT) – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
India vs Zimbabwe 7pm (13:30 JST) – MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Friday, February 27th
England vs. New Zealand, 7pm (13:30 GMT) – R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Saturday, February 28th
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 7:00pm (13:30 JST) – Palekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Sunday March 1st
Zimbabwe vs South Africa, 3pm (9.30pm GMT) – Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
India vs West Indies 7pm (13:30 JST) – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
