Can there be another India vs Pakistan match at T20 World Cup 2026?

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is about to enter in its most important leg with the Super Eights action set to start from today. Well, the first Super Eight game, between, Pakistan and New Zealand, was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The 20-team tournament is now reduced to 8 teams and they are divided into two groups of four. Since India and Pakistan were already part of the same group in the group stages, they are part of different brackets in the Super 8s.

We have already seen one India vs Pakistan fixture at this T20 World Cup, where India outclassed Pakistan in every department. There was a huge drama before the match, with Pakistan calling for boycott. ICC representatives headed to Lahore to ease things out; there were sanction and pull out threat. But after all, the action resumed on the field, where normalcy took the center stage, with India rolling Pakistan with a 61-run win.

Can India play Pakistan again?

As mentioned above, India and Pakistan are in different groups at the Super 8s. Pakistan are grouped alongside New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, India’s group features the likes of South Africa, the West Indies and Zimbabwe. Only the teams who will finish in the top two spots in their respective Super 8 groups will go through this stage.

So, can there be another India vs Pakistan clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026? The short answer is yes. But it will only happen if both teams take care of business in the Super 8s. The format is simple. The top two teams from each Super 8 group qualify for the semi-finals. If India finish first in Group 1 and Pakistan end up second in Group 2, or the other way around, the two sides will run into each other in the knockouts. That would set up a semi-final between the arch-rivals.

Where will India vs Pakistan semi-final be played?

Now comes the interesting part. As per the current schedule, if India qualify for the semis, they are slated to play the second semi-final at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on March 5. A home semi-final at Wankhede would have been ideal from a logistical and in every sense.

However, there is a clause.

If the semi-final happens to be India vs Pakistan, the match will not be played in Mumbai. Instead, it will be shifted to the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on March 4. That switch is part of the hybrid arrangement between the two boards, which states that matches between India and Pakistan in ICC events will be held at neutral venues till the 2027 ODI World Cup.

In other words, Pakistan’s qualification directly impacts India’s semi-final venue. If Pakistan do not make it to the last four, India stay in Mumbai provided they qualify. If Pakistan do make it and the draw pairs them against India, the Indian team will have to pack their bags for Sri Lanka.

There is another sensational point. A potential India vs Pakistan semi-final in Colombo would mean India playing on Holi, one of the biggest festivals back home.