Punjab Newsline,Sports:
16 practice games to be played across four cities in India and Sri Lanka from February 2 to 6
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially released the complete schedule of warm-up matches ahead of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, offering fans an early dose of high-voltage cricket action. Before the main tournament gets underway on February 7, a total of 16 warm-up matches will be played between February 2 and February 6.
These warm-up fixtures will be hosted across four cities in the co-host nations, India and Sri Lanka. The matches will take place in Bengaluru, Navi Mumbai, Chennai, and Colombo, giving participating teams a valuable opportunity to get accustomed to local conditions, pitch behavior, and match intensity ahead of the global tournament.
The warm-up action will begin on February 2, with Afghanistan taking on Scotland at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. On the same day, India ‘A’ will face the USA at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, while Canada will lock horns with Italy at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
February 3 will see several associate and emerging teams in action. Oman will play Sri Lanka ‘A’ in Colombo, followed by Netherlands versus Zimbabwe at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Nepal and UAE will face off later in the day in Chennai, adding more competitive flavor to the warm-up phase.
The excitement will peak on February 4, when some of the biggest cricketing nations step onto the field. India will face South Africa in a highly anticipated warm-up clash at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. On the same day, Pakistan will take on Ireland in Colombo, while Afghanistan will battle West Indies in Bengaluru.
February 5 features matches involving Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, with teams continuing to fine-tune their strategies and combinations. The warm-up stage will conclude on February 6, with Italy facing UAE in Chennai and India ‘A’ playing Namibia in Bengaluru.
Overall, the warm-up matches are expected to set the tone for the T20 World Cup 2026, providing fans with thrilling contests and teams with crucial match practice ahead of one of cricket’s biggest events.