Sri Lanka's Potential Home Advantage for 2026 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals
Sri Lanka's Semi-Final Prospects
Sri Lanka may have the opportunity to host their semi-final match for the 2026 T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, provided they qualify and are not matched against India.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, if Pakistan secures a spot in the semi-finals, they will compete in Colombo. Conversely, if Pakistan does not qualify but Sri Lanka does, and they face any team other than India, the semi-final will also take place in Colombo.
ICC's Semi-Final Logistics Announcement
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has communicated the logistics for the semi-finals following the finalization of the Super Eights. They stated, "Semi-final 1 is a flexible arrangement, set to occur in either Colombo or Kolkata. If Pakistan qualifies, they will play in semi-final 1 in Colombo on March 4. Should Pakistan not qualify, but Sri Lanka does and faces a team other than India, they will host semi-final 1 in Colombo."
Venue Arrangements for India and Other Teams
The ICC further clarified that if neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka qualifies, semi-final 1 will be held in Kolkata, while semi-final 2 will take place in Mumbai. India, if they reach the semi-finals, will play in Mumbai regardless of their opponent, unless they are drawn against Pakistan, in which case the match will shift to Colombo. If India qualifies and faces any team other than Pakistan, their semi-final will be in Mumbai.
Clarification on Groupings and Previous Schedule
Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are placed in Group 2 of the Super Eights, eliminating the possibility of a semi-final clash between the two. This update also clarifies the November schedule, which indicated that Pakistan's semi-final and final would be hosted in Sri Lanka but did not specify Sri Lanka's knockout matchups. The potential for Sri Lanka to have a home advantage in the semi-finals is now confirmed, contingent on their qualification and draw.
Details from November Announcement
The November release mentioned, "If Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals, Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium will take over as the venue for Semi-Final 1, replacing Kolkata. Should Pakistan reach the final, the venue will also shift from Ahmedabad to Colombo. If India and Pakistan meet in the semi-finals, that match will be held in Colombo, while Mumbai will host Semi-Final 2 if India faces any team other than Pakistan."