Months before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 started, Suryakumar Yadav was asked which team he would like to beat in the final if India reached the summit clash. Without thinking too much, the Indian captain said, “Australia, March 9, Narendra Modi Stadium.” Those words came from an unforgettable place, hinting at taking revenge on the Australians for the 2023 ODI World Cup. But SKY’s wish might not come true, as Australia may not qualify for the next round, let alone march towards the T20 World Cup final.
Australia on verge of elimination; IND vs ZIM likely
It seems Australia aren’t interested in this T20 World Cup at all. Yes, injuries have plagued them. But they still were one of the best T20 sides coming into this tournament but have failed to show up. After a gritty win over Ireland to start the campaign, Australia were simply outplayed by Zimbabwe, leading them towards the corner.
A buoyant Zimbabwe unit now believe after they toppled the number one pre-seeded team from their Group. Australia were supposed to end up on India’s side of Super 8, as the ICC has already given the designated groups to the likely qualifying teams. However, one shocker is in store, as Zimbabwe will most likely pip Australia in qualification.
T20 World Cup 2026 Group B: Points Table
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka (Q) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | +2.462 |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +1.984 |
| 3 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0.414 |
| 4 | Ireland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0.150 |
| 5 | Oman (E) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -4.546 |
Australia’s T20 World Cup journey is hanging by a thread. Zimbabwe’s win over them was a massive blow, and Sri Lanka’s recent defeat hasn’t helped. Here’s what’s playing out:
- Australia need to win against Oman by a big margin to improve their Net Run Rate (NRR).
- They’ll be hoping Ireland doesn’t beat Zimbabwe by a huge margin, which would hurt Australia’s chances.
- Zimbabwe shouldn’t win any more games, and their NRR should be worse than Australia’s for Aussies to sneak into Super 8s.
But for Zimbabwe to qualify, they just need to win one of their two remaining games. They face Ireland on Feb 17 before going up against Sri Lanka on Feb 19. In all likelihood, Zimbabwe should win any one of these games. If they do, Zimbabwe will join Super 8 Group 1, involving India, South Africa and the West Indies.
If qualified, Zimbabwe will face India on February 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. It will be extremely difficult for Zimbabwe since they have played all their group games in Sri Lanka, and now playing all their Super 8 matches at much-more batting-friendly pitches in India would challenge their bowlers big time.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Super 8 Schedule (India)
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| India vs South Africa | February 22 | Ahmedabad |
| India vs Zimbabwe/Australia | February 26 | Chennai |
| India vs West Indies | March 1 | Kolkata |
Super 8 Group 1 – Pre-Seeding
| Slot | Team (Pre-seeded) | P | W | L | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X1 | India (Confirmed) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| X2 | Australia/Zimbabwe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| X3 | West Indies (Confirmed) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| X4 | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Super 8 Group 2 – Pre-Seeding
| Slot | Team (Pre-seeded) | P | W | L | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y1 | England (Confirmed) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Y2 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Y3 | Pakistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Y4 | Sri Lanka (Confirmed) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
How teams land here (in simple terms)
- X1, Y1 → Group-stage table toppers
- X2, Y2 → Group-stage runners-up
- Pre-seeding decides which Super 8 group they enter, not their position
- Actual points and NRR reset once Super 8 begins
The top two teams from Super 8s Groups 1 and 2 will qualify for the semi-finals.
- 1st Semi-final: March 4 – X1 vs Y2 – To be Decided
- 2nd Semi-final: March 5 – Y1 vs X2 – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- ICC T20 World Cup Final – March 8 – Narendra Modi Stadium (if Pakistan don’t qualify)
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