T20 World Cup 2026: How India and Pakistan Can Set Up a Semi-Final Showdown

Again, the viewers can expect a major contest between India and Pakistan in the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Even though India won the match against Pakistan by 61 runs in a one-sided contest in the group stage of the tournament at Colombo on February 15, the tournament format can again put the two sides against each other.

The Super 8 groups have already been decided. India will be in group 1, while Pakistan will be in group 2. The two teams will clash in the semis only if India manages to top its group in the Super 8s, while Pakistan manages to finish second, or the other way around. According to ICC regulations, the winner of Group 1 in the Super 8s will face the runner-up of Group 2, while the winner of Group 2 will face the runner-up of Group 1.

Whether this semifinal clash will take place depends on whether Pakistan makes it to the Super 8s. India has already qualified for the Super 8s, but Pakistan will need to win its final group match against Namibia on February 18th. Following its defeat against India, Pakistan's net run rate is -0.403, which is quite poor. Pakistan currently sits third in Group A, below the USA.

In the tournament format, the top eight teams for the Super 8s have already been divided into two groups based on the International T20 rankings. Group 1 consists of India, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa, while Group 2 includes England, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The Super 8 matches will run from February 21 to March 1, followed by the semi-finals on March 4 and 5.

If Pakistan reaches the semi-finals, the match will be held in Colombo instead of Kolkata or Mumbai, as per the agreement between the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board. This will be the tenth meeting between the two teams in the T20 World Cup, in which India currently leads 8-1.