The Indian men’s cricket team continued their impressive run at the 2026 T20 World Cup, keeping alive hopes of achieving a rare trifecta – successfully defending the title, winning a record third T20 World Cup crown,
and lifting the trophy as hosts.
After relatively comfortable victories over the USA and Namibia in their opening two Group A fixtures, India travelled to Colombo for the tournament’s marquee encounter against Pakistan – a rivalry defined by history and geopolitical tension. The build-up was predictably charged, dominated by controversy, hype, and promises of high drama.
The drama, however, proved short-lived.
India delivered a commanding performance, sealing a 61-run victory in what was another one-sided contest between the two sides in recent ICC tournaments. The win extended India’s T20 World Cup head-to-head record against Pakistan to 8-1.
Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India have now progressed to the Super 8 stage. Pakistan, meanwhile, must defeat Namibia to secure qualification and join their rivals in the next round.
That leads to the inevitable question: Could India and Pakistan meet again in this tournament?
The short answer is yes – but only once more, at most.
Explaining The Tournament Format
The 2026 T20 World Cup features 20 teams divided into four groups – A, B, C, and D – with five teams in each group. The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 8 stage.
The eight qualifiers are then split into two groups of four – Group 1 and Group 2 – where they play round-robin fixtures within their respective groups. The top two teams from each Super 8 group progress to the semi-finals.
Pre-Seedings and Super 8 Structure
Ahead of the tournament, the top eight ranked T20I sides were pre-seeded for the Super 8 stage in anticipation of qualification.
Under the ICC’s pre-seeding system:
- India were designated X1.
- England Y1.
- Australia X2.
- New Zealand Y2.
- West Indies X3.
- Pakistan Y3.
- South Africa X4.
- Sri Lanka Y4.
If all seeded teams qualify, Group 1 will comprise India, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa, while Group 2 will feature England, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Should any pre-seeded side fail to advance, the team qualifying from that group will assume its designated slot.
Can India and Pakistan Meet in the Super 8?
No.
India and Pakistan are placed in separate Super 8 groups under the pre-seeding arrangement. As teams only face opponents within their own group at this stage, a rematch in the Super 8 is not possible.
What About the Semi-finals?
A semi-final meeting remains a possibility.
The knockout structure pairs the Group 1 topper with the Group 2 runner-up, while the Group 2 topper faces the Group 1 runner-up.
An India-Pakistan semi-final would occur if one side finishes first in its group and the other finishes second in the other group. However, if both teams top their respective groups – or both finish second – they would be drawn on opposite sides of the bracket and would not meet before the final.
A Final Showdown?
An India-Pakistan final is also within the realm of possibility, provided both sides qualify for the semi-finals and win their respective matches.
The two nations have met only once in a T20 World Cup final – in 2007, when the tournament was known as the ICC World T20.
Venue for a Potential Rematch
Any knockout clash between India and Pakistan would be staged at a neutral venue, as was their Group A encounter. Colombo is expected to host the latter stages of the tournament. For now, there won’t be a rematch in the Super 8 stage. However, should results align over the coming days, the rivalry could yet add another chapter at the business end of the competition.
