The T20 World Cup 2026 starts this week with three matches in co-hosts India and Sri Lanka. On the first day, Pakistan will take on the Netherlands, the West Indies will face Scotland, and the defending champions will play against the USA. Former England captain Michael Vaughan has shared his semifinal predictions, naming four strong teams he thinks will advance.
Twenty teams are participating in the T20 tournament, including India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ireland, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Italy, Zimbabwe, Oman, Nepal, Canada, and UAE.
Michael Vaughan’s Predictions
Michael Vaughan has selected four powerful teams as his semifinal picks: India, England, New Zealand, and Australia, the latter having previously won the title.
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Vaughan tweeted:
“My 4 T20 World Cup semi-finalists will be … India, England, NZ & Australia.”
Vaughan’s selection is based on the teams’ recent performances and depth of talent.
India’s Goal to Make History
As the host country, India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, aims to become the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title. Historically, no host nation has ever won, and only India, England, and the West Indies have lifted the trophy more than twice.
India’s Group A includes Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia. They will start their campaign against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7, followed by a match against Namibia in Delhi on February 12.
India also has a scheduled match against Pakistan in Colombo, but there is uncertainty surrounding this fixture as the Pakistan government has stated that the team won’t play against India without giving specific reasons.
The final group match will be against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18.
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The Tournament Structure
The tournament features 20 teams divided into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super 8s, where they will be split into two groups of four.
The best two teams from each Super 8s group will move on to the semifinals, which are set for March 4 and March 5.
