According to the revised tournament arrangements confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the 2026 T20 World Cup could give Sri Lanka a home semi-final if they progress to the knockout stages and avoid facing India.
In a directive to stakeholders following the conclusion of the Super Eight series, the ICC outlined flexible hosting plans for the semi-finals.
Under the revised structure, the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has been designated to host the first semi-final, provided certain conditions are met.
According to communications, the first semi-final will be a floating match, which will be held in either Colombo or Kolkata. If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play the first semi-final in Colombo on March 4.
However, if Pakistan fail to make it to the last four, and Sri Lanka advance to face any opponent other than India, the Sri Lankans will play their semi-final at the Premadasa Stadium.
The ICC further clarified that neither Sri Lanka nor Pakistan would qualify, with the first semi-final to be played in Kolkata and the second semi-final to be played in Mumbai.
India, if they qualify, are set to play in Mumbai regardless of the opposition, unless they are drawn against Pakistan – in which case the match will shift to Colombo.
In the event that neither India, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka reach the semi-finals, the Group 1 winner of the Super Eight will face the Group 2 runner-up in Kolkata, while the Group 2 winners will meet the Group 1 runner-up in Mumbai.
With both Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Group 2 of the Super Eight, a Sri Lanka-Pakistan semi-final is unlikely.
The clarification reflects a change from the original schedule announced in November, which had Pakistan play Sri Lanka in the semi-finals and final, but did not explicitly mention the circumstances under which Sri Lanka could qualify.
In that earlier announcement, Kolkata would replace Kolkata in hosting the first semi-final if Pakistan qualified, and the final if Pakistan qualified.
It noted that the India-Pakistan semi-final will be played in Colombo, while Mumbai will host the other Indian semi-final.
Notably, the playing conditions of the tournament did not previously indicate the possibility of Sri Lanka securing a semi-final on home soil. The ICC has been approached for further comment.