After a two year hiatus following the 2024 edition, it is finally time for another iteration of arguably the most popular and exciting event in the entire sport of cricket. The 2026 ICC Cricket Men’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka is almost upon us as the final preparations and form ramp ups take place. With the two countries as hosts, 20 participants, and 55 overall matches, it is going to be a complete celebration of the exciting sport from the moment it starts on February 7 until the big final game on March 8. The T20 format has long established itself as the most intriguing and dynamic of the three, and more and more fans are joining in.
What is more, a lot has changed since the last tournament, and as both the defending champions and the hosts, the whole subcontinent of India is going to rally behind their team to try and repeat. Doing so would mean the first time ever that a team has managed to defend their title and win two in a row. Arguably the best team in the world has a golden opportunity to do so in front of their home fans, which makes them one of the biggest favorites in the expert betting picks and predictions for ICC Cricket Men’s T20 World Cup. That being said, this guide analyses everything that is to come and offers the latest predictions for the favorites. Read on to learn where the games will be played, what stars will be featured in the rosters, and what fans can expect from the event.
Recap of the 2024 T20 World Cup
Before diving deeper into the upcoming one, it would be beneficial to have a short refresher course about the one that came before. Since India is hosting, and they were the champs two years ago, going down memory lane and recapping how they won would be the perfect way to set the stage. The 2024 World Cup was held in the West Indies and the USA. The former? A two time champion. The latter? An up and coming cricket nation with a new domestic league and heavy investments in the sport.
India beat South Africa in the final to capture their second title, and first since the inaugural event all the way back in 2007. The Player of the Series was Jasprit Bumrah, while Afghan players had themselves a tournament on the individual level. Most runs were achieved by Rahmanullah Gurbaz with 281, while the most wickets honors with 17 were achieved by both his teammate Fazalhaq Farooqi and the Indian player Arshdeep Singh. The team of the tournament included Rohit Sharma, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nicholas Pooran, Suryakumar Yadav, Marcus Soinis, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, Arsdeep Singh, Fazzalhaq Farooqi, and Anrich Nortje.
As for the qualified teams, the included West Indies, United States, Australia, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Nepal, Oman, Namibia, and Uganda. In the semis, South Africa beat Afghanistan 60/1 (8.5 overs) to 56 (11.5 overs), while India beat England 171/7 (20 overs) to 103 (16.4 overs). In the final, India was better with 176/7 (20 overs) to 169/8 (20 overs) by South Africa, an instant classic. The game was very popular on ICC Cricket Men’s T20 World Cup sportsbook platforms as fans flocked to make their picks.
There was a total of 9 venues, with 6 in the West Indies and 3 in the US. The West Indies were represented by Antigua & Barbuda (Sit Vivian Richards Stadium), Barbados (Kensington Oval), Guyana (Providence Stadium), Saint Lucia (Daren Sammy Cricket Ground), St. Vincent & the Grenadines (Arnos Vale Stadium), and Trinidad & Tobago (Brian Lara Cricket Academy). In the US, Florida (Central Broward Park), New York (Nassau County Stadium), and Texas (Grand Prairie Stadium played host.
ICC 2026 T20 World Cup Teams and Venues
Let us now see who the qualified teams are, the method of their qualification, and their T20 ranking heading into the tournament. India and Sri Lanka qualified as hosts, with the former ranked 1st and the latter 8th. The top 7 teams from the previous tournament, excluding the hosts, are Australia (2nd), England (3rd), South Africa (5th), West Indies (6th), Afghanistan (10th), and the US (18th). The ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings also meant that New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, and Scotland are in, being ranked 4, 7, 11, and 14, respectively. Canada (19th) got in through the Americas Qualifier, the Netherlands (13th) and Italy (28th) through the Europe Qualifiers, Zimbabwe (12th) and Namibia (15th) through the Africa Qualifier, and the UAE (16th), Nepal (17th), and Oman (20th) through the Asia EAP Qualifier.
Group A sees India, Pakistan, the United States, the Netherlands, and Namibia, and is arguably the toughest group in the tournament. In Group B, Australia and Sri Lanka are the absolute favorites among Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Oman. Group C has England and the West Indies as the top dogs, with Scotland, Nepal, and Italy making up the rest. Finally, in Group D, New Zealand and South Africa are the two best sides, but Afghanistan is right there with them, while Canada and the UAE are the underdogs. Fans can expect India, Pakistan, Australia, Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, New Zealand, and South Africa in the Super 8, as they are the best teams in the world. Your ICC T20 World Cup picks are sure to be among them.
India is set to host matches at 5 different stadiums in 5 cities. Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, with a capacity of 132,000, will host 7 matches, including the Final. Chennai’s M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, with 39,000 seats. will host 7 matches. Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium has a capacity of 55,000 and will host 6 matches. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata has 68,000 seats and will host 7 matches, including Semi final 1. Lastly, the Mumbai Wankhede Stadium, with just over 33,000 seats, will host 8 matches, including Semi final 2. The city of Colombo in Sri Lanka will have two venues, the R. Premadasa Stadium with 35,000 seats and 10 matches, and the SSC Cricket Ground with a capacity of 10,000 and 5 matches. Kandy city’s Pallekele Cricket Stadium, with its 35,000 seats, will host 7 matches. Interestingly, if Pakistan qualifies, Semi final 1 and Final will be played in R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Otherwise, they will be at Eden Gardens and Narendra Modi.
Latest Odds and Predictions
While there are still over two weeks before the tournament starts, early betting favorites are out, and sportsbooks are already doing their thing. If you are a fan of long term, outright betting, you are in luck because those are the only markets that are currently available. Without much surprise, India leads the odds race with 2.62 to capture the third title overall and second in a row, neither of which had been done before, and would make them undefeated kings of the ICC T20 World Cup at least until 2028. They have homecourt advantage and are the number one favorites by a nice margin. Right behind them is Australia with 5 odds, followed by England and South Africa, both with 7.50 odds to win it. For Australia, it would be their second title. England would be the first team ever with three to their name, while for South Africa, it would be the best result after coming up short in 2024 and ending as the Runners up. Keep checking back at Stake.com in the following days for the first batch of betting opportunities for the opening games of the event.
Biggest Stars Heading to India and Sri Lanka
As a sport, cricket is no stranger to big names and legends of the game, and at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, there will be plenty. India boasts perhaps the most exciting batting talent in world cricket, with Abhishek Sharma ranked the No. 1 T20I batter and capable of changing games single handedly with explosive strokeplay at any time. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma add class and versatility to the Indian order, while Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh lead a potent bowling attack that has thrived in recent series.
England’s squad is a combination of experience and firepower, led by captain Harry Brook and the dynamic duo of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, both highly ranked for their aggressive batting. The pace attack, including Jofra Archer, gives England a genuine wicket taking threat.
Australia’s unit features all around stars like Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green, with dangerous hitters Tim David and an attack anchored by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. The perennial contenders have always been stacked, and that remains true this time around.
South Africa combines leadership from Aiden Markram with classy batsmen like David Miller and exciting young talent Dewald Brevis. They also have a fast bowling lineup led by Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje that can be match decisive on helpful surfaces. The runners up in 2024 are coming for the crown and will be playing harder than ever.
The West Indies, historically one of T20’s most entertaining sides, look to firepower from players such as Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, and Shai Hope to unsettle bowling attacks and chase down big totals. While they are not the main contenders this time around, their games are always great to watch, and neutral fans adore tuning in and cheering along.
Pakistan’s squad selection is eagerly awaited, but returning experience from Babar Azam alongside exciting young campaigners like Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan should anchor their batting. Pace spearheads Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf aim to tear through lineups once again, as they have done so many times before.
Sri Lanka’s hopes hinge almost entirely on the class of Pathum Nissanka and all around match winners such as Wanindu Hasaranga. While they are more than capable of turning games with bat or ball in spin friendly conditions, it will take a lot of effort from the rest of the roster to stay competitive in front of the home crowd.
T20 World Cup FAQs
- What is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup?
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is an international cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It features national teams competing in the Twenty20 (T20) format, where each team plays a maximum of 20 overs per innings. - When was the first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held?
The inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was held in 2007 in South Africa, with India winning the title by defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final, a classic rivalry. - How often is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held?
The tournament is generally held every two years, although scheduling adjustments have occurred due to global events and ICC calendar changes. - Which team has won the most ICC Men’s T20 World Cup titles?
As of recent tournaments, the West Indies (2012, 2016), England (2010, 2022), and India (2007, 2024) hold the record with two titles each, making them the most successful teams in the competition. - How do teams qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup?
Teams qualify through a combination of automatic qualification (based on rankings or previous tournament performance) and regional qualification tournaments organized by the ICC. - What makes the T20 World Cup different from other ICC tournaments?
The T20 World Cup is known for its fast paced action, shorter match duration (around three hours), innovative batting, and unpredictable results. It is especially popular with newer and younger fans who dislike the longer formats. - Who has scored the most runs in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history?
Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene is the highest run scorer in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history, with over 1,000 runs across multiple editions. - What is the highest team total in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history?
One of the highest team totals in tournament history is 260/6, scored by Sri Lanka against Kenya in the very first, 2007 edition, a confirmation of the explosive nature of T20 cricket. - Which player has taken the most wickets in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup?
Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh holds the record for the most wickets in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history. His consistency as an all rounder is legendary.
