The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash has been confirmed after the International Cricket Council unveiled the full schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Tuesday, setting the stage for another blockbuster encounter between the two rivals.
The 10th edition of the tournament will be staged in England from June 12 to July 5, featuring 12 teams, the largest field in the event’s history. Hosts England will take on Sri Lanka in the opening match on June 12, while the final will be played at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 5.
India and Pakistan have been drawn in Group A alongside Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Their meeting in the group stage is certain to attract global attention, given the history and intensity associated with the rivalry. In recent years, fixtures between the two sides in ICC events have drawn record audiences, underlining the growing profile of the women’s game.
Group B comprises England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Ireland and Scotland. Ireland and Scotland will begin their campaigns against each other in an all-European clash at Old Trafford on June 13. When England face Scotland at Headingley on June 20, it will mark the first time the two teams have met at an ICC event on English soil.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Groups:
Group 1: Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Netherlands
Group 2: West Indies, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland
Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands were the final four teams to secure qualification, progressing through the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Nepal last month. They now join defending champions New Zealand, inaugural winners England, 2016 champions West Indies, six-time winners Australia and current ODI world champions India in what promises to be a fiercely contested tournament.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta described the schedule release as a key milestone in the build-up to the global event.
“The release of the schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is an important milestone in the run-up to the global, premier sporting event,” Gupta said.
“This event is in continuation of ICC’s sustained investment in women’s cricket—across expanded participation and high-performance pathways, event and production standards, tournament prize money, widened media distribution and commercial partnerships—towards the goal of commanding higher levels of attention, affiliation and stature with fans worldwide,” he said.
“The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India served as a force multiplier for the sport – breaking records, capturing imaginations and inspiring communities – and our ambition is to carry the momentum into the event in June-July,” Gupta said.
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