After an action-packed opening day, the second day of the FIFA T20 World Cup 2026 promises even more excitement for fans with three thrilling encounters. In the first match of the day, New Zealand and Afghanistan will face each other in Chennai.
The second match will feature two-time champions England, who open their campaign against Nepal in Mumbai. The final match of the day pits co-hosts Sri Lanka against Ireland in Colombo.
While former champions England and Sri Lanka headline the matches, all eyes will be firmly on the opening clash between Afghanistan and New Zealand, especially after the Afghans got the better of the Kiwis in the previous edition.
When and where to watch
New Zealand vs Afghanistan in Chennai in Group D match at 11 am IST.
England vs Nepal in Mumbai in Group C match at 15:00 IST.
Sri Lanka vs Ireland in Colombo in Group B match at 7 PM IST.
All the matches will be telecast on Star Sports with live streaming available on JioHotstar.
Here is a quick preview of the three matches of the second day of the T20 World Cup.
Match 1 Prediction: New Zealand vs Afghanistan in Chennai
New Zealand entered the tournament after suffering a 1–4 series defeat against India away from home. However, the Black Caps are unlikely to read too much into their pre-tournament preparations as they are renowned for raising their game at big ICC events. The Mitchell Santner-led side will be eager for a winning start against dark horses Afghanistan, who have troubled them in the past.
New Zealand warmed up for the tournament with a tight seven-run win over the USA, with Tim Seifert and Matt Henry playing alongside him. Knocked out in the first stage of the previous edition, the Kiwis will want to bounce back strongly and rediscover their ‘silent killers’ mode.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan booked their place in the tournament after qualifying for the Super 8 stage of the 2024 edition. They, enter the competition in strong formwhich beat Zimbabwe, Qatar and the West Indies in bilateral series. The Rashid Khan-led side went on to comfortably beat Scotland and the West Indies in the warm-up games, sending strong warning signals to the rest of the teams.
The Afghans stunned the Kiwis in the previous editionbeating them by 84 runs and knocking them out in the group stage itself. As a result, the upcoming fixture promises to be an enticing contest, with New Zealand eyeing revenge while Afghanistan pose the next big threat to the Black Caps.
Pitch Report
The surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai has traditionally been a bowler’s paradise. With both teams boasting handy tweakers in their squads, it is expected to be an even match. Afghanistan, in particular, stunned Pakistan at this venue during the ODI World Cup 2023 and will be looking to repeat that feat once again.
Meanwhile, only three T20Is have been played at the venue so far, with the teams chasing wins twice. The average first innings score is 171 while the highest successful chase is 182. A score in the range of 170-190 could prove to be a winning total for the sides batting first.
News from the team (predicted playing elevens)
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ziaur Rahman
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi
Match 2 Prediction: England vs Nepal in Mumbai
England enter the tournament on the back of back-to-back wins against Ireland, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Their emphatic 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka away from home earned them widespread praise, especially after they successfully defended a modest total of 128 in the final match at Pallekele.
The Harry Brook-led side have almost all bases coveredwhich boasts a well-rounded squad full of multiple match-winners. However, their batsmen’s struggle against spin may prove to be a problem over the course of the tournament. England will be looking for a comfortable win in their opening match and pick up two points without too much trouble.
On the other hand, Nepal qualified for the tournament by winning the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers in Asia. They arrived in good form, winning both their warm-up matches against the UAE and Canada. While the Rohit Paudel-led side may not look formidable on paper, they came agonizingly close to defeating South Africa in the previous edition when they lost a thrilling encounter by just one run.
As a result, taking Nepal lightly would be akin to flirting with danger for the Three Lions. Nepal boast some quality spinners in their line-up who could prove effective on surfaces that help spin. FIFA World Cup T20 2026: England take on Nepal in their first match in Nepal (PTI Photo)
Pitch Report
While the Wankhede surface is traditionally known as a batting paradise, he played a double bluff with hosts India in the opening match. A pitch that initially looked flat, It turned out to be a slow wicket at two paces, with the batsmen struggling to fire from the very start.
If similar conditions prevail in the second match, Nepal’s bowlers could enjoy some help from the surface and may once again expose England’s struggles against spin.
News from the team (predicted playing elevens)
England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood
Nepal: Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel (c), Sundeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Aarif Sheikh, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamicchane.
Match 3 Prediction: Sri Lanka vs Ireland in Colombo
Co-hosts Sri Lanka head into the tournament after being whitewashed 0-3 by England. The Lankan Lions have endured a forgettable run since the last T20 World Cup, winning just two of the ten series they have played, with victories only against the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
The Dasun Shanaka-led side may not have been a formidable T20I outfit in recent times. However, it would be foolish to take them lightly in domestic conditions. Sri Lanka in particular have reached the final of every ICC event held on their soil. This will see them start as favorites again, despite being knocked out in the first stage of the previous edition.
Meanwhile, Ireland qualified for the tournament based on the T20I ranking. They come into action after registering series wins against Italy and UAE. The Irish were also eliminated in the first stage of the previous year, finishing bottom of Group A without recording a single victory.
Their biggest win in the tournament’s history came against England in 2022. Ireland have historically put up spirited battles but struggled with consistency. The Paul Stirling-led side will be hoping to cause some major upsets in the upcoming edition.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium has historically been spin-friendly and the tweakers enjoy considerable help. Of the last 12 matches played at the venue, ten have been won by the teams batting second. The average first innings score in the last five matches is 130 while the most successful chase was 174. Hence, the captains who win the toss are likely to opt for the first innings keeping the record in mind.
News from the team (predicted playing elevens)
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Benjamin Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
February 8, 2026