T20 fever will grip the world as the FIFA T20 World Cup 2026 officially kicks off on Saturday, February 7. The opening day of the tournament will feature three matches, with Pakistan and the Netherlands closing the curtain on the competition in Colombo.
The second match of the day will see West Indies take on Scotland while hosts India will play the final match of the evening at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. While Asian giants India and Pakistan are expected to take the spotlight on the first day, two-time champions West Indies will also be eager to regain their lost glory at the very ground where they won their last title in 2016.
When and where to watch
Pakistan vs. Netherlands at Colombo in Group A match at 11:00 IST.
West Indies vs Scotland in Kolkata in Group C match at 15:00 IST.
India vs. USA at Mumbai in Group A 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 on the first day of the T20 World Cup.
Match 1 Prediction: Pakistan vs Netherlands in Colombo
Pakistan enters the tournament having whitewashed Australia 3-0 at home. The Salman Agha-led side brings strong momentum into the tournament having earlier beaten South Africa, defeated Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in tri-series and went on to draw their series against Sri Lanka 1-1.
After deciding to boycott their highly anticipated match against India, Pakistan have been put in a precarious position as they now need to win all their remaining matches to move smoothly into the Super Eights.
The Netherlands, on the other hand, qualified for the tournament after winning the European qualifiers in July 2025. The Scott Edwards-led side finished top of the table with three wins from four matches and collected six points. The Netherlands also appeared in the 2024 edition, but were eliminated in the first stage after winning only one of their four matches.
The Dutch have produced some memorable upsets in the history of the tournament, beating England and South Africa twice. Given the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, the Netherlands cannot be taken lightly, especially given their history of punching above their weight.
Spacing and conditions
The opening match of the T20 World Cup starts at 11 am, the second half of the match is expected to be affected by rain. The pitch is likely to offer spin and bounce.
If there is help for the spinners, it could serve the Netherlands well given that they cannot afford to get into a power-play against Pakistan, who have players much better suited to such conditions against an associate nation.
However, the real threat will be rain. If Pakistan end up on the wrong side of the draw, it could be immediate trouble for them.
News from the team (predicted playing elevens)
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Bas de Leede, Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman/Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
Match 2 Prediction: West Indies vs Scotland in Kolkata
West Indies earned automatic qualification for the tournament after reaching the Super Eight stage of the previous edition in 2024. However, the two-time champions have struggled to replicate their past success in the last three T20 World Cups, failing to make it to the knockout stage each time.
With Darren Sammy at the helm as head coach, who led West Indies to both their T20 World Cup triumphs, this side will aim to spark a T20I revival and restore their earlier legacy. West Indies will face Scotland in their opening game, the team that beat them in their only previous meeting in 2022, which was one of the reasons for their early exit from the tournament.
On the other hand, Scotland is a surprise entrant in the tournament after Bangladesh decided to pull out of the tournament following a disagreement with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the venue allocation. Richie Berrington’s Scotland will be making their seventh appearance in the tournament.
They have never progressed beyond the group stages and will be keen to get off to a winning start against the West Indies given their track record. While the fixture may not look even on paper, it has all the ingredients to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Spacing and conditions
A total of 12 T20Is have been played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with the second-placed teams winning seven of those matches. The average first innings score at the venue is 153, while the highest run chase is 158. The Eden Gardens surface is known to help the spinners, although the batsmen are expected to enjoy their time in the middle as well.
Team News (Predicted Playing XI)
West Indies: Shai Hope (c) (week), Johnson Charles, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein
Scotland: George Munsey, Tom Bruce, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (c), Finlay McCreath, Matt Cross (wk), Michael Leask, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal, Safyaan Sharif, Brad Currie
Match 3 Prediction: India vs USA in Mumbai
Tournament favorites India will begin their campaign against the USA in the final match of the opening day at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The men in blue enter the competition having won nine consecutive series, including the 2025 Asia Cup.
Since July 2024, India have won 31 out of 41 matches, losing only six, while two matches ended in no result and the other two ended in draws. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side are heavy favorites to defend their title at home and become the first team in history to do so. India players train in Mumbai (PTI Photo)
USA, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their breakthrough performance in the previous edition of the tournament in 2024. The Monank Patel-led side advanced to the Super Eight stage after scripting a major upset against Pakistan. They looked again in great form ahead of the upcoming release, pput up a strong performance against India A and New Zealand in the qualifiers.
The USA are expected to punch above their weight again and the opening match alone should provide a clear indication of their readiness for global action.
Spacing and conditions
The Wankhede surface is considered one of the best batting wickets in India, with plenty of runs for those who wield the willow. A total in excess of 220 would not be a surprise in this batting paradise as the bowlers are likely to find it difficult to stem the flow of runs. The Pacers can get some help with a new ball that offers good bounce and carry. Defending targets at the venue is a herculean task, with dew expected to influence the course of the second innings.
Team News (Predicted Playing XI)
India: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
USA: Monank Patel (c), Andries Gous (wk), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shayan Jahangir, Milind Kumar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
February 7, 2026
