T20 World Cup 2026: There is a chance that Sri Lanka could play their T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final in Colombo, should they qualify.
According to a report on ESPNCricinfoin its communication to all the stakeholders after the Super 8 lineups were confirmed, the ICC said that there is no fixed venue for the first semi-final.
Instead, that semi-final will be a “floating arrangement” and could be held in Kolkata or Colombo, depending on the teams which qualify. Should Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, then they will play the first semi-final in Colombo.
What if Pakistan fails to qualify?
Should Pakistan fail to qualify and Sri Lanka do, but do not face India, then the Dasun Shanaka-led side will play their semi-final in Colombo. Should neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka make it to the last-four stage, then the first semi-final will take place in Kolkata, with Mumbai hosting the second semi-final.
“Semi-final 1 is a floating arrangement with the match to be held in either Colombo or Kolkata,” the ICC said.
“If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in semi-final 1 in Colombo on 4 March. If Pakistan do not qualify for the semi-finals, but Sri Lanka do qualify and play anyone other than India, then Sri Lanka will play in semi-final 1 in Colombo,” the ICC added.
For India, they will play semi-final 2 in Mumbai if they qualify, unless their opponent is Pakistan, in which case the semi-final will take place in Colombo.
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have forced the two teams to play each other at neutral venues under the ICC’s arrangement. The two Asian giants had locked horns in a group-stage match in Colombo, wherein the Men in Blue emerged victorious by 61 runs.
Currently, though, India’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals look bleak. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side suffered a 76-run loss to South Africa in their first Super 8 Group 1 match.
That loss resulted in an inferior Net Run Rate (NRR) of -3.800. India not only needs to win their next two games (vs Zimbabwe and West Indies) by big margins, but also will need other results to go in their favour.
Sri Lanka’s hopes, too, are somewhat less. The co-hosts suffered a 51-run loss to England in their first match, and that has left them in fourth place in Group 2.
They have an NRR of -2.550, and similarly, like India, they will need to win both their remaining matches. That may not even be enough, since England can still reach six points, whereas at least one of New Zealand or Pakistan could get to five points.
