T20 World Cup 2026 Group A: Complete Guide to Schedule, Squads, and Venues
The excitement for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is building as Group A promises thrilling encounters right from the tournament's opening day. This group features five competitive teams: India, Pakistan, United States of America, Namibia, and Netherlands. The action will unfold across six prestigious venues in India and Sri Lanka, with the tournament commencing on February 7, 2026.
Group A Composition and Historical Context
India, Pakistan, and the USA find themselves grouped together once again, having shared the same pool in the previous edition. This recurrence adds an extra layer of intrigue, especially after the USA's surprising performance in 2024, where they edged out Pakistan to secure a Super 8 spot alongside India. The group is rounded out by Namibia and Netherlands, both teams known for their spirited cricket and potential to cause upsets.
A significant subplot involves Pakistan's announced boycott of their group-stage match against India. This decision keeps the spotlight firmly on the mercurial Pakistani side, which is determined to rebound strongly after a group-stage exit in the last tournament. Playing on the slower pitches of Sri Lanka could allow Salman Agha's men to mask certain weaknesses and emerge as the tournament's dark horse.
Venues Hosting Group A Matches
The matches will be spread across six iconic venues in the host nations:
- India: Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi), Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai - two games).
- Sri Lanka: SSC Cricket Ground (Colombo - multiple games), R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo).
A historic moment awaits the SSC Cricket Ground in Colombo, as it will host men's T20 International cricket for the first time in 16 years, beginning with the tournament opener between Pakistan and Netherlands.
Complete Group A Match Schedule
Here is the detailed fixture list for Group A:
- Match 1 – 7 February 2026, 11:00 AM: Netherlands vs Pakistan at SSC Cricket Ground, Colombo.
- Match 3 – 7 February 2026, 7:00 PM: India vs United States at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
- Match 10 – 10 February 2026, 11:00 AM: Namibia vs Netherlands at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
- Match 12 – 10 February 2026, 7:00 PM: Pakistan vs United States at SSC Cricket Ground, Colombo.
- Match 18 – 12 February 2026, 7:00 PM: India vs Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
- Match 21 – 13 February 2026, 7:00 PM: Netherlands vs United States at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
- Match 26 – 15 February 2026, 3:00 PM: Namibia vs United States at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
- Match 27 – 15 February 2026, 7:00 PM: India vs Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
- Match 35 – 18 February 2026, 3:00 PM: Namibia vs Pakistan at SSC Cricket Ground, Colombo.
- Match 36 – 18 February 2026, 7:00 PM: India vs Netherlands at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Squad Lists for All Five Teams
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.
United States: Monank Patel (c), Jessy Singh, Andries Gous, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamala, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shubham Ranjane.
Netherlands: Scott Edwards (c), Colin Ackermann, Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Fred Klaassen, Kyle Klein, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Max O’Dowd, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Saqib Zulfiqar.
Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Green, Bernard Scholtz, Ruben Trumpelmann, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, Malan Kruger, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, JC Balt, Dylan Leicher, WP Myburgh, Max Heingo.
With a mix of traditional rivals, emerging teams, and historic venues, Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026 is set to deliver captivating cricket from the very first ball. Fans can look forward to high-stakes matches, strategic battles, and unforgettable moments as these five teams vie for supremacy and a place in the Super 8 stage.
