Captains gather for carnival ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2026

Captains of all 20 teams came together in Mumbai and Colombo for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Captains’ Carnival. The event showcased excitement, rivalries and preparations ahead of the tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February

Hyderabad: The captains of the participating teams in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 gathered for a Captains’ Carnival on Thursday in Mumbai and Colombo simultaneously, offering an early glimpse into the excitement surrounding the 10th edition of the tournament.

As anticipation builds for the marquee event, the unique dual-venue format brought all 20 team captains together to share their excitement, preparations, expectations and views on the tournament’s competitive depth. The event also offered valuable insights into team readiness and the high-intensity competition expected in the lead-up.

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Captains Suryakumar Yadav (India), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Dilpreet Bajwa (Canada), Harry Brook (England), Wayne Madsen (Italy), Gerhard Erasmus (Namibia), Rohit Paudel (Nepal), Mitchell Santner (New Zealand), Richie Berrington (Scotland), Aiden Markram (South Africa), Monank Patel (USA) and Shai Hope (West Indies) attended the event in Mumbai, with Mohammad Nadeem filling in for Jatinder Singh (Oman).

Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Paul Stirling (Ireland), Scott Edwards (Netherlands), Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan), Muhammad Waseem (UAE) and Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) took part in Colombo.

The high-energy event saw captains engage in fast-paced cricket challenges and interactive experiences alongside digital creators. Blending competition, entertainment and media engagement, the Captains’ Carnival offered a fresh preview of the personalities, rivalries and competitive intensity set to define the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, before concluding with press conferences at both venues.

Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be played from 7 February to 8 March, featuring 20 teams and 55 matches in what promises to be a month of exciting cricket.

The tournament begins on 7 February in Colombo with Pakistan taking on the Netherlands, before attention shifts to Kolkata for the clash between the West Indies and Scotland that same afternoon. The opening day will conclude with an encounter between India and the USA in Mumbai, setting the stage for an action-packed competition.

Matches will be played across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka, including Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), R Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (Colombo) and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy).