When and where is the next ICC Men's T20 World Cup?
India beat South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final to break their 11-year-old ICC jinx. Batting first after winning the toss in the all-important summit clash, the Men in Blue put up 176-7 on the board as Virat Kohli top-scored with 76 off 59 balls. In reply, the Proteas were held to 169-8 as Hardik Pandya claimed 3-20, while Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah picked up two scalps each.
Following their triumph in the final against the Proteas in Barbados, the Men in Blue became the first team in the history of the Men's T20 World Cup to clinch the title without losing a game. They won their first three matches in the group stage, while their fourth game was abandoned due to a wet outfield.
Having topped Group A, Team India also finished in top position in Group 1 in the Super 8 stage. They beat Afghanistan and Bangladesh before getting the better of Australia. Rohit Sharma and company then defeated England in the semifinal in Guyana before pulling off a nail-biting win in the final against South Africa in Barbados.
Team India set to get a chance to defend their T20 World Cup title at home
The next edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026. While the exact schedule will only be confirmed closer to the event, there is a high probability that the final will be played in India.
Like the 2024 edition, a total of 20 teams will feature in the 2026 edition as well. The two host countries and the top eight teams from the previous edition will automatically qualify for the competition, along with the next two teams in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings. The remaining eight sides will be picked via qualifiers.
The 20 sides will be divided into four groups of five teams each. The top two nations in each group will progress to the Super 8 round. Here the qualifying sides will be divided into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockouts - semifinals and final. This is the same format that was used for the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States.
If India defend their title, they will become the first team to win three Men’s T20 World Cups. As of now, the Men in Blue, England, and West Indies have won the tournament twice each.