MUMBAI: The captains of the 20 participating teams in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 came together on Thursday for a vibrant Captains’ Carnival, staged simultaneously in Mumbai and Colombo, offering an early taste of the excitement surrounding the tournament’s 10th edition.
Dual-Venue Event Builds Early Momentum
With anticipation steadily building ahead of the global showpiece, the unique dual-location format brought all team leaders together to share their thoughts on preparations, expectations and the depth of competition expected at the World Cup. The event provided valuable insight into team readiness and underlined the high-intensity nature of the tournament even before the first ball is bowled.
Captains Gather in Mumbai and Colombo
A host of leading cricketing figures attended the Mumbai leg of the Carnival, including Suryakumar Yadav (India), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Dilpreet Bajwa (Canada), Harry Brook (England), Wayne Madsen (Italy), Gerhard Erasmus (Namibia), Rohit Paudel (Nepal), Mitchell Santner (New Zealand), Richie Berrington (Scotland), Aiden Markram (South Africa), Monank Patel (USA) and Shai Hope (West Indies). Mohammad Nadeem represented Oman in place of Jatinder Singh.
In Colombo, Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Paul Stirling (Ireland), Scott Edwards (Netherlands), Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan), Muhammad Waseem (UAE) and Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) joined the celebrations.
Cricket, Creativity and Media Engagement
The high-energy Carnival featured captains taking part in fast-paced cricket challenges and interactive experiences alongside digital creators. Blending competition, entertainment and media engagement, the event delivered an immersive
of the personalities, rivalries and competitive edge set to define the tournament. Proceedings concluded with dedicated press conferences at both venues.
Tournament Details
Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will run from 7 February to 8 March, featuring 20 teams and 55 matches in what promises to be a month of thrilling cricket action.
