ICC releases Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule; India to open campaign vs Pakistan on June 14

Dubai- The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the final schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will get underway on June 12 with hosts England taking on Sri Lanka in the opening match. The tournament final is set to be played on July 5 at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground.

The complete fixture list was confirmed after the conclusion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier held in Nepal last month. Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands secured the final four berths, completing the 12-team lineup for the global event.

These teams will join defending champions New Zealand, hosts England, 2016 winners West Indies, current ODI World Cup holders India, and six-time champions Australia. The tournament will feature 12 teams split into two groups, with the top two sides from each group progressing to the semi-finals.

India have been drawn in Group A alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. The Indian team will begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14 at Edgbaston. They will then face the Netherlands on June 16, South Africa on June 21, Bangladesh on June 25, and conclude their group-stage matches against Australia on June 28.

Calling the schedule announcement a key milestone, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the tournament reflects the ICC’s continued investment in women’s cricket, spanning participation, performance pathways, prize money, and global reach. He added that the aim is to build on the momentum generated by recent women’s World Cups and further elevate the sport’s global profile.

India, who have never won the Women’s T20 World Cup in nine editions, will be hoping to end their title drought in 2026. The team has reached the semi-finals four times and finished runners-up in the 2020 edition.

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Groups

Group A: Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Netherlands
Group B: West Indies, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland

 

With inputs from IANS

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