Canadian cricketers land in tough group at ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
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Canada’s cricket team has been drawn in elite company at next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, facing three top-10 teams in Group D.
The 19th-ranked Canadian men will meet No. 4 New Zealand, No. 5 South Africa, No. 10 Afghanistan and the 16th-ranked United Arab Emirates at the 20-team tournament that runs Feb. 7 through March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
Tuesday’s draw in Mumbai also paired defending champion India with rival Pakistan in Group A along with the Netherlands, Namibia and the United States.
Canada will play its group games in India, opening Feb. 9 against South Africa in Ahmedabad before facing the Emirates on Feb. 13 in Delhi, New Zealand on Feb. 17 in Chennai and Afghanistan on Feb 19 in Chennai.
Canada has beaten the Emirates before in World Cup League 2 play.
The top two in each pool advance to the Super Eight round, where they will be divided into two groups of four. The top two from each pool will then make the semifinals.
The Canadians qualified in June, going undefeated in topping the ICC Americas Regional Qualifier that also included the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Canada made its T20 World Cup debut last year, failing to advance out of the group stage after upsetting Ireland and losing to Pakistan and co-host United States. A marquee match against India was abandoned because of inclement weather.
South Africa and Afghanistan both made the Super Eight round in 2024 with South Africa losing to India in the final.
India will open defence of its title on Feb. 7 against the U.S. in Mumbai.
The tournament will be played in eight venues across India and Sri Lanka with the final to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the world’s largest cricket venue with a capacity of 132,000. But Colombo will host if Pakistan reaches the championship game.
Sri Lanka and India are each hosting the tournament for a second time with Sri Lanka staging the event in 2012 and India in 2016. West Indies won on both occasions.
India (2007 and 2024) and England (2010, 2022) are the other teams to win the title more than once. Other past winners are Pakistan (2009), Sri Lanka (2014) and Australia (2021).
While known for other sports, Canada has a cricket history with its first ever outing — against the U.S. in New York in 1844 — believed to be the first-ever international match.
The 2024 tournament featured total prize money of US$11.25 million, with the winner receiving at least US$2.45 million.
The T20 game sees teams bat for just 20 overs, with runs at a premium. The 2026 tournament marks the 10th edition of the competition.
Italy, which finished runner-up to the Netherlands in European qualifying, makes its T20 World Cup debut next year.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Draw (with world ranking in brackets)
Group A: India (1), Pakistan (7), Netherlands (13), Namibia (15), U.S. (18).
Group B: Australia (2), Sri Lanka (8), Ireland (11), Zimbabwe (12), Oman (20).
Group C: England (3), West Indies (6), Bangladesh (9), Nepal (17), Italy (28).
Group D: New Zealand (4), South Africa (5), Afghanistan (10), U.A.E. (16), Canada (19).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2025