The qualifiers for the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup were finalised on Wednesday.
The eight qualifers have been divided into two groups of four – one hosted in India and one in Sri Lanka.
No points are carried over so each team starts the Super Eights with a clean sheet.
The winner of each match receives two points, the loser gets none.
If a minimum of five overs per side is not possible because of bad weather in any match, then that match will be declared a no result with each side getting one point.
Any match that finishes in a tie will see a Super Over played. If the Super Over is also a tie, subsequent Super Overs will ensue until there is a winner.
The top two from each group will advance to the semi-finals on March 4 and 5.
The T20 World Cup final is on 8 March.
WATCH: Choking Protea in Indian advert
Group 1
India
South Africa
West Indies
Zimbabwe
Group 2
England
New Zealand
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
How Super Eights groups were determined
The ICC introduced a pre-seeding system for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which means teams’ second-round pathways were decided before the tournament even started. Instead of Super Eight spots and match-ups being determined purely by where teams finish in the group stage, several major nations were locked into specific positions for logistical reasons.
For example, India were pre-designated as A1 for the group stage regardless of whether they finished first or second. Australia (B1), England (C1) and New Zealand (D1) were also fixed in top slots, while Sri Lanka (B2), West Indies (C2) and Pakistan (A2) were similarly assigned positions in advance. If any of those teams failed to qualify, the team that replaced them simply inherited that slot in the next round – as Zimbabwe did when they stepped into Australia’s designated position.
The same principle applies in the Super Eights. India were locked in as X1, England as Y1, Australia as X2, New Zealand as Y2, West Indies as X3, Pakistan as Y3, South Africa as X4 and Sri Lanka as Y4. These labels determine fixtures and knockout routes ahead of time.
The reasoning is largely logistical. With matches spread across India and Sri Lanka, organisers need certainty around venues, broadcast schedules, travel and ticketing – especially for high-profile teams. While that makes planning easier, it reduces the unpredictability that usually adds drama to a World Cup group stage.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs UAE (T20 World Cup)
Super Eights fixtures
Saturday, 21 February: New Zealand vs Pakistan (Colombo)
Sunday, 22 February: India vs South Africa (Ahmedabad)
Sunday, 22 February: England v Sri Lanka (Kandy)
Monday, 23 February: Zimbabwe v West Indies (Mumbai)
Tuesday, 24 February: England v Pakistan (Kandy)
Wednesday, 25 February: New Zealand v Sri Lanka (Colombo)
Thursday, 26 February: West Indies vs South Africa (Ahmedabad)
Thursday, 26 February: India vs Zimbabwe (Chennai)
Friday, 27 February: England vs New Zealand (Colombo)
Saturday, 28 February: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan (Kandy)
Sunday, 1 March: Zimbabwe vs South Africa (New Delhi)
Sunday, 1 March: India vs West Indies (Kolkata)
AFRICA PICKS: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe – T20 World Cup preview
– AFP
