Sri Lanka fans (Getty Images)
NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka could have a huge home advantage in the ongoing 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, with Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium set to host the semi-final – but only under specific conditions confirmed by the International Cricket Council.Go beyond boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!According to an ESPNCricinfo report, as per the tournament logistics shared with stakeholders after the completion of the Super Eight stage, Semi-Final 1 remains a ‘floating’ match that can be played in either Colombo or Kolkata. The ICC has made it clear that Pakistan will automatically play the semi-finals in Colombo if they qualify. However, if Pakistan fails to reach the semi-finals and Sri Lanka qualifies instead, the island nation will host the semi-final in Colombo – provided its opponent is not India.
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The arrangement creates a potentially decisive advantage for Sri Lanka, who could play the knockout match in familiar home conditions with crowd support behind them. However, if Sri Lanka face India in the semi-final, the match will not be played in Colombo, as India’s semi-final is scheduled for Mumbai unless it is against Pakistan, in which case it moves to Colombo.
reconnaissance
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The report also said that if neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka reach the semi-finals, Kolkata will host Semi-Final 1, while Mumbai will host Semi-Final 2. India, if they qualify, will play in Mumbai regardless of the opponent, except in the case of a clash with Pakistan.Also, since Sri Lanka and Pakistan are in the same Super Eight group, they cannot face each other in the semi-finals.
