The squads are locked, and prep is done. Now it’s about time for action to unfold as the T20 World Cup 2026 begins on 7 February 2026. Here’s a T20 World Cup 2026 betting preview of the top contenders, analysis and likely XIs.
Tournament Format
The structure matters more than ever this year.
- Group Stage: February 7 to February 20
- Matches: 40 group games, up to three per day
- Points: 2 for a win, 1 each if abandoned
- Super 8s: February 21 to March 1
- Matches: 12
- Semi-finals: March 4 and 5
- Final: March 8
Top two teams from each group qualify for the Super 8s. Seedings carry forward, meaning finishing first or second in the group stage does not change which Super 8 group you land in.
Group Structure
Group A: India, USA, Pakistan, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal
Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE
Predicted Super 8 Groups
Group 1: India, Australia, West Indies, South Africa
Group 2: England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Only the top two from each Super 8 group make the semi-finals.
Predicted Semi-Finalists
India, Australia, England, New Zealand
India
- Win probability (Odds to win): 12/10
- Batting rating: 10/10
- Bowling rating: 8/10
- Top batsman: Abhishek Sharma
- Top bowler: Jasprit Bumrah
Possible XI
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
Analysis
Defending champions and deserved favourites. India tick every box. Elite power, depth till No. 8, multiple spin options and the best death bowler in the world. It is genuinely difficult to see them missing the semi-finals. A final appearance feels more likely than not. The only real risk is one bad knockout day.
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Australia
- Win probability (Odds to win): 4/1
- Batting rating: 8/10
- Bowling rating: 7/10
- Top batsman: Travis Head
- Top bowler: Adam Zampa
Playing XI
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
Analysis
Australia always turn up at ICC events. That is the good news. The concern is fitness and form. Hazlewood and Tim David are not fully firing and the recent heavy loss to Pakistan raised eyebrows. Still, 4/1 does not feel inflated given their tournament pedigree.
England
- Win probability (Odds to win): 5/1
- Batting rating: 9/10
- Bowling rating: 7/10
- Top batsman: Phil Salt
- Top bowler: Adil Rashid
Playing XI
Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid
Analysis
England are the one side who believe they can go toe-to-toe with India on power alone. Rashid remains gold in Asian conditions and Archer’s presence masks bowling concerns. A semi-final spot should be the minimum expectation.
South Africa
- Win probability (Odds to win): 5/1
- Batting rating: 7/10
- Bowling rating: 7/10
- Top batsman: Quinton de Kock
- Top bowler: Kagiso Rabada
Playing XI
Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Jason Smith, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
Analysis
Runners-up last time but still feel unsettled in this format. Poor underlying numbers contrast with a very strong potential XI. Markram is a sharp captain and Bosch could be the breakout all-rounder. Talent is there. Trust is not.
New Zealand
- Win probability/Odds to Win: 10/1
- Batting rating: 4
- Bowling rating: 6
- Top batsman: Finn Allen
- Top bowler: Jacob Duffy
Playing XI
Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry
Analysis
New Zealand are built for tournament cricket. Efficient, calm, and almost always present in the latter stages. Allen and Seifert could transform their powerplay output. They may lack the brute force to win it all, but qualifying is firmly on the cards.
Pakistan
- Win probability (Odds to win): 11/1
- Batting rating: 6/10
- Bowling rating: 8/10
- Top batsman: Salman Ali Agha
- Top bowler: Abrar Ahmed
Playing XI
Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
Analysis
Boycotting their India game puts pressure on qualification immediately. They are vulnerable to shocks in Group A and batting power remains a concern. If they scrape into the Super 8s, they may struggle against heavier hitters.
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Sri Lanka
- Win probability (Odds to Win): 35/1
- Batting rating: 6/10
- Bowling rating: 7/10
- Top batsman: Pathum Nissanka
- Top bowler: Dushmantha Chameera 33%
Playing XI
Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana
Analysis
Sri Lanka need slow, turning pitches and bravery in spin usage. Outside their top three, hitting is limited. They are far better chasing than setting totals. Progressing beyond the Super 8s would be a surprise.
Afghanistan
- Win probability (Odds to Win): 35/1
- Batting rating: 6/10
- Bowling rating: 9/10
- Top batsman: Ibrahim Zadran
- Top bowler: Rashid Khan
Playing XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (captain), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, and Fazhalhaq Farooqi
Analysis
World-class bowling, limited power. On 160-type surfaces they are extremely dangerous. On flatter tracks, even their bowlers may not be enough. Chennai could give them a real shot against New Zealand.
West Indies
- Win probability (Odds to Win): 40/1
- Batting rating: 7/10
- Bowling rating: 6/10
- Top batsman: Shai Hope
- Top bowler: Romario Shepherd
Playing XI
Brandon King, Shai Hope (c)(wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, Gudakesh Motie
Analysis
Chaotic by nature. Overs can swing wildly. Shepherd’s numbers are elite, yet he is often underused. A brutal Super 8 group makes progression unlikely, but individual matches will be volatile and betting-friendly.
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Who will win T20 World Cup 2026?
India are the favourites. England and Australia are the main threats. New Zealand remain the safest semi-final play. Everyone else needs conditions, luck, or chaos to break their way.
India are the clear favourites based on squad depth, batting power and bowling balance, with England and Australia viewed as the closest challengers.
The top two teams from each of the four groups qualify. Seedings carry forward, so finishing first or second does not change which Super 8 group a team enters.
India, Australia, England and New Zealand are most likely teams to make their way to the top 4.
