The road to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has officially begun. Before the main tournament kicks off on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, the world’s top cricketing nations (and some exciting 'A' sides) are fine-tuning their strategies in a series of 16 warm-up matches.
King Exchange 9 Whether you are looking to see how the defending champions India are shaping up or want to catch the emerging stars from Italy and Nepal, here is your complete guide on how to watch the action live.
Where to Watch: Global Broadcast & Streaming Partners
The ICC has ensured that fans across the globe can catch the warm-up action. While the main tournament will have wide-scale coverage, the warm-ups are available through specific licensees and the ICC.tv platform.
?? India
TV: The high-profile India vs South Africa match (Feb 4) will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.
Digital: JioHotstar is the primary streaming home. It will stream the India vs South Africa clash and 10 other select fixtures, including matches featuring India A.
Highlights: Available on ICC.tv.
?? Pakistan
Fans in Pakistan can enjoy every single warm-up match live.
Streaming/TV: Myco, Tamasha, Tapmad, and ARY Zapp.
?? & ?? North America
Willow is the place to be. They are broadcasting and streaming all 16 warm-up games live for fans in the USA and Canada.
?? United Kingdom
Sky Sports will broadcast select marquee matches: India vs South Africa, Afghanistan vs Scotland, and Pakistan vs Ireland.
Rest of the matches: Available for free on ICC.tv.
?? Sri Lanka
ThePapare (TV) and Dialog Play (Streaming) will cover select matches including those involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the India A side.
?? Australia & Rest of the World
In Australia, Mainland Europe, South East Asia, and South America, fans can stream all matches live and for free on ICC.tv.
Full Warm-Up Schedule (February 2 – 6, 2026)
Note: All times are local (IST for India, SLT for Sri Lanka).
Date | Match | Venue | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|---|
Feb 2 | Afghanistan vs Scotland | Bengaluru (CoE) | 3:00 PM |
Feb 2 | India A vs USA | Navi Mumbai | 5:00 PM |
Feb 2 | Canada vs Italy | Chennai | 7:00 PM |
Feb 3 | Sri Lanka A vs Oman | Colombo (CCC) | 1:00 PM |
Feb 3 | Netherlands vs Zimbabwe | Colombo (RPS) | 3:00 PM |
Feb 3 | Nepal vs UAE | Chennai | 5:00 PM |
Feb 4 | Namibia vs Scotland | Bengaluru (CoE) | 1:00 PM |
Feb 4 | Afghanistan vs West Indies | Bengaluru (CoE) | 3:00 PM |
Feb 4 | Pakistan vs Ireland | Colombo (SSC) | 5:00 PM |
Feb 4 | India vs South Africa | Navi Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
Feb 5 | Zimbabwe vs Oman | Colombo (CCC) | 11:00 AM |
Feb 5 | Nepal vs Canada | Chennai | 1:00 PM |
Feb 5 | Australia vs Netherlands | Colombo (RPS) | 5:00 PM |
Feb 5 | New Zealand vs USA | Navi Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
Feb 6 | Italy vs UAE | Chennai | 3:00 PM |
Feb 6 | India A vs Namibia | Bengaluru (CoE) | 5:00 PM |
Attending in Person: Tickets
If you are in India and want to feel the atmosphere live, the ICC has opened two specific matches to the public at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai:
USA vs India A (February 2)
India vs South Africa (February 4)
Tickets can be purchased via the BookMyShow app or website, or at the stadium box office.
Key Storylines to Watch
The 'A' Team Test: India is utilizing an 'A' squad (featuring stars like Ayush Badoni and Riyan Parag) to test bench strength and manage the senior team's workload.
The New Entrants: Keep an eye on Italy, who secured a surprising win over Canada on the opening day of the warm-ups.
Condition Acclimatization: For teams like Australia and England, these matches are vital to getting used to the spin-friendly tracks in Chennai and Colombo.
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