The images coming out of Sri Lanka in late November were grim. Flooded streets, landslides in the hills, as many as 634 lives lost and livelihoods broken. But with the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 less than 50 days away, the obvious question that followed quickly is could Sri Lanka still host its share of the tournament?
The answer from the ICC and local organisers is now clear. Yes, and without compromise. Despite the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, Sri Lanka’s leg of the T20 World Cup will go ahead as planned. After detailed inspections across venues, officials are confident the country is ready to welcome teams, fans and global attention once again.
T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka venues cleared after cyclone inspections
Sri Lanka is scheduled to host 20 of the 55 matches in the T20 World Cup 2026, which is being co-hosted with India. Matches will be spread across three venues, including Pallekele in Kandy, Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium and the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground.
Concerns were highest around Kandy, which was among the worst-hit regions during the cyclone. More than 200 fatalities were reported there, fuelling fears over infrastructure damage. However, inspections have put those worries to rest.
“We are happy with the progress we have made and it is going to be a superb event,” an official involved in the inspections told Telecom Asia Sport. “Sri Lanka has hosted ICC events before with great success, and we have no doubt this tournament will be another feather in our cap. Kandy has been cleared, as have the other two venues.“
Colombo is in the final stages of preparation. New floodlights are being installed at the SSC ground, which will host five matches, while the R. Premadasa Stadium will stage the bulk of Sri Lanka’s fixtures, including the high-profile India–Pakistan clash on February 15.
“There has been huge demand for tickets for the India–Pakistan game,” the official said. “We expect a surge of tourists into Colombo around that fixture, which will give a significant boost to the economy.” If Pakistan advance deep into the tournament, Sri Lanka could also host a semi-final and the final, given Pakistan’s inability to travel to India due to political tensions.
Repeat of Women’s ODI World Cup in Sri Lanka?
Weather remains a major talking point, especially after Sri Lanka recently co-hosted the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup with India. That tournament was heavily impacted by the monsoon. Out of 28 matches played at one stage, 10 were rain-affected, with six abandoned entirely. Colombo alone saw five no-results from 11 games.
Organisers believe timing will make the difference this time. February and March are traditionally dry months in both Colombo and Kandy, giving hope that no match will be compromised.
“There were rain issues during the Women’s World Cup, but conditions are very different at this time of year,” the official added. “India–Pakistan is the main attraction, no doubt, but games like Sri Lanka versus Australia are also keenly awaited.“
The tournament will begin on February 7, with Pakistan facing the Netherlands in Colombo. India, unusually, will not play the opener and instead start their campaign the same day against the USA in Ahmedabad. Incredibly, India are the first country to respond to Sri Lanka’s appeal for help after Cyclone Ditwah, under Operation Sagar Bandhu. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has visited Colombo to extend support.
T20 World Cup 2026: Groups
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| A | India, Pakistan, Netherlands, Namibia, USA |
| B | Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman |
| C | England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy |
| D | South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, UAE, Canada |
T20 World Cup 2026: Venues
India: Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi), Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), Eden Gardens (Kolkata) and MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai)
Sri Lanka: R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (Colombo), Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy) and Sinhalese Sports Club (Colombo)
