The T20 World Cup 2026 starts this weekend in India and Sri Lanka (political tensions notwithstanding) and Andy Schooler has previewed the tournament and picked out his best bets ahead of the cricket extravaganza.
T20 World Cup 2026: Tournament Preview
Dates – February 7 to March 8, 2026
Hosts – India and Sri Lanka
Format – 20 teams. Group stage: Four groups of five, top two progress to Super 8s – two groups of four with top two reaching knockout semi-finals.
T20 World Cup 2026: Group-Stage Draw
Group A – India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B – Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman
Group C – England, West Indies, Nepal, Italy, Scotland
Group D – New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE
T20 World Cup 2026:: Projected Super 8s
Group 1 – India, Australia, West Indies, South Africa
Group 2 – England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
NB – the finishing position in the group stage does not affect which group a team will be placed in for the Super 8s stage.
The last T20 World Cup, which took place in the West Indies and USA in 2024, did not favour the batters. Too many of the pitches were slow and difficult to score on and high run totals were, generally, hard to come by. Eighteen months on and you can expect the opposite in India and Sri Lanka, certainly the former. The 2025 Indian Premier League saw some huge scores posted as batters took big-hitting to new levels – exactly the sort of cricket that this made-for-TV format aims to offer.
There were only four 200+ scores made in the 2024 edition; expect there to be many more over the next month. Even the best bowlers will struggle to contain so this looks a tournament which could well be won by the team with the most powerful batting line-up. Co-hosts and defending champions India are the obvious choice – they’ve topped 250 on three occasions since lifting the trophy in Barbados.
T20 World Cup 2026: Hosts Feared
Abhishek Sharma has been the best T20 batter in the world since the last World Cup – he certainly leads the run charts in that period, averaging north of 37 in the process. Fellow opener Ishan Kishan knows how to put his foot down immediately, while number three Tilak Varma has also been full of runs in the past 18 months in this format, averaging a ridiculous 60.5. Then comes captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube is another big-hitter in the middle order and further down Hardik Pandya can be absolutely destructive in the closing overs.
The bowling attack is also among the strongest in the tournament, led by the masterful Jasprit Bumrah. In the spin department, Varun Chakravarthy has taken the most T20I wickets since the last World Cup with his average and strike-rate both under 12, but the fact that no-one is really sure if he’ll play ahead of Kuldeep Yadav says huge amounts about the depth of quality at India’s disposal.
India have won 32 of their 38 T20Is since beating South Africa in a thrilling final in 2024 which is a fantastic record in a format which has long been considered the most likely to produce an upset. Throw in home advantage and India probably should win (although no host nation has ever won this tournament) but the problem is their price – they are only 2.2 to lift the trophy.
One bad day is all it takes for things to go wrong – the last two rounds are knockout cricket, while even in the Super 8s, one loss could prove fatal to their chances. That’s especially true given the draw which has India expected to face Australia, West Indies and South Africa in that Super 8s stage – remember the finishing position in the initial group stage does not affect which pool a team will be placed in for the Super 8s.
T20 World Cup 2026: England Expects
For me, the odds are just that bit too short and preference is to look elsewhere and that search takes me towards England. First of all, you need to put memories of the recent Ashes series aside – few players in England’s squad remain from the Tests in Australia. Instead, recall how England’s T20 cricket has improved dramatically in recent years. They won this competition in 2022, while it took eventual champions India to stop them last time.
They have very much got on board with playing power-hitters capable of dominating opposition bowlers and have the players to make the most of the bat-friendly pitches we’re likely to see. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler look a fearsome opening pair. Salt has averaged 41.29 at an impressive strike rate of 168 since the last World Cup, while Buttler delivered at these grounds in the IPL last year, making more than 500 runs.
T20 World Cup 2026: Bank on Brook
Further down, Harry Brook has all the talent to make big scores – his strike rate is up at 167 – with Tom Banton just under 166. The latter shone at the recent ILT20 tournament, one at which Sam Curran – a member of that victorious 2022 team – was named most valuable player after topping the run charts. Curran will have a say with the ball too and while that is England’s weaker suit – as is the case with many of the title contenders – they still have scary pace in Jofra Archer, while Adil Rashid’s ability on sub-continental pitches is a massive tick for England.
If anyone is capable of tying down opposition batters, it’s him. The only T20 series England have lost since that 2024 tournament was in India and they looked ready to go when taking apart Sri Lanka in recent days. Playing there will be good preparation for the Super 8s which will send them back to Colombo. A big factor in my decision to back them is that draw – England are in the weaker Super 8s section, one expected to feature Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
None of those three teams is in the top four of the outright betting so England look to have a great route to the semi-finals. Should they finish top of that group, they would avoid the other pool winner (expected to be India) in the last four. In short, there’s plenty to like about England, who are 5.75 for the title.
T20 World Cup 2026: Awesome Aussies
Australia (4.0) are second favourites but their bowling attack has been weakened again by injury – Pat Cummins is out, Josh Hazlewood looks set to miss the first half of the tournament, while Nathan Ellis has been nursing a hamstring problem. And, of course, Mitchell Starc has retired from this format. Throw in a relative weakness against spin in the batting department – as shown in Pakistan recently – and I’m happy to leave them alone.
South Africa (6.15) arguably have a better chance. Their batting line-up has that explosive characteristic with Quentin de Kock’s recent return from self-imposed exile adding to that strength. Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton make up top three with big potential, while further down Dewald Brevis has emerged as one of the best strikers of a ball in the game – sixes look sure to fly from his bat.
T20 World Cup 2026: Best of the Rest
Corbin Bosch is a talented all-rounder but while Keshav Maharaj is an excellent spinner, I’m concerned that their bowling could just concede too many runs. New Zealand (11.3) have often been overpriced in these ICC global events – indeed, this column backed them at last year’s Champions Trophy where they finished runners-up to our other pick, India. However, I’m not sure that’s the case this time around.
Finn Allen will be a star to watch at the top of the batting – he has potential to go big in terms of runs and sixes with a strike-rate above 200 since his return to the side. He also top-scored in the recent Big Bash League. Glenn Phillips and Jimmy Neesham offer late runs further down the order but the bowling is again a worry.
Adam Milne has already been ruled out, Lockie Ferguson is one of several players nursing niggles, while both he and Matt Henry – star of that 2025 Champions Trophy – both have babies on the way and may have to head home mid-tournament. Much, therefore, looks on the shoulders of Jacob Duffy, who was the top-ranked T20I bowler until recently.
Pakistan (14.8) also make little appeal given the political baggage they bring with them – the decision not to play India has left them with zero wriggle room in their group. And co-hosts Sri Lanka (35.0) enter having just been crushed 3-0 at home to England when their lack of big-hitters was shown up. They rarely get beyond 200.
T20 World Cup 2026: Wonderful Windies
Of the seeds, that leaves West Indies and they are perhaps the bet if you are seeking a lively outsider. They are 16.5 shots. Their games look likely to be run-filled. The Windies possess many a player capable of hitting boundaries for fun but you do wonder if their bowlers will be able to contain opponents in anything approaching the necessary way.
Of the batters, Shai Hope has just starred at the SA20 tournament, Rovman Powell retains great six-hitting ability, while Shimron Hetmyer has proven his ability to score big against both pace and spin in the past 18 months. Notably, the Windies’ batting should be well suited to the grounds on which they will play. Kolkata, Mumbai and Ahmedabad all have strong reputations as high-scoring and they won’t have to head to Sri Lanka in either of the group rounds.
While the bowling does look weaker, economical veteran Jason Holder is a player I’ve rated for a while and he has great experience – including a strong record – in the IPL. He also arrives having just taken 15 wickets in the ILT20. The problem is the Windies are on that tougher side of the Super 8s draw and will need to consistently deliver as underdogs if they are to reach the final, as they did when winning in 2012 and 2016. Subsequently, I’d want a bigger price in the ante-post market so I’ll stick with England as the sole selection.
T20 World Cup 2026: Best Bets
England to win the T20 World Cup 2026 @ 5.75
By Andy Schooler
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