ICC Maintains Flexible Semi-Final Venues for T20 World Cup; Colombo, Kolkata and Mumbai in Mix: Report

Sri Lanka could find itself playing a T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final at home, depending on qualification outcomes and matchups, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.

The development follows revisions to the tournament schedule and playing conditions by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Under the updated arrangements, Semi-final 1 will be a “floating” fixture, staged either in Colombo or Kolkata based on which teams advance. The ICC, in an official communication to stakeholders, outlined multiple scenarios.

If Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals, it will play Semi-final 1 at the R. Premadasa Stadium on March 4. Should Pakistan fail to qualify but Sri Lanka reach the last four and face any team other than India, Sri Lanka will also play Semi-final 1 in Colombo.

If neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka progresses, Semi-final 1 will instead be held at Eden Gardens.

Semi-final 2 is scheduled at the Wankhede Stadium, with India set to play at that venue if it qualifies — regardless of opponent — except in the event of an India–Pakistan clash, which would be moved to Colombo.

The ICC has also clarified contingency plans if India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka all fail to qualify. In that case, the top team from Super 8 Group 1 would face the runner-up from Group 2 in Kolkata, while the Group 2 winner would meet the Group 1 runner-up in Mumbai.

Notably, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are placed in the same Super 8 group, ruling out a semi-final meeting between the two sides.

Schedule adjustment

When the original schedule was released, the ICC specified provisions for Pakistan’s matches being relocated to Sri Lanka but did not explicitly address a scenario involving Sri Lanka hosting its own semi-final. The revised framework now introduces that possibility.

Super 8 Groups

Group 1: India, Zimbabwe, West Indies, South Africa
Group 2: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand