Can India and Pakistan face off again in T20 World Cup 2026?

The high-voltage encounter between India and Pakistan lived up to expectations as India outclassed their rivals by 61 runs on Sunday to seal a place in the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The much-anticipated showdown, held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, went ahead as scheduled despite the intense build-up and off-field chatter in the days leading up to it.

With the emphatic victory, India not only strengthened their dominance over Pakistan in ICC tournaments but also confirmed their progression to the next round. Indian supporters erupted in celebration, while fans across the border reacted with frustration and criticism toward their team following another disappointing performance on the big stage.

In the aftermath, some Pakistani fans began wondering whether a second India-Pakistan clash could take place later in the tournament. But how realistic is that scenario?

Here’s how the format works. The top two teams from each group move into the Super Eight stage, where they are divided into two fresh groups. Teams then compete in a round-robin format within their respective groups. Even if Pakistan manage to beat Namibia in their final group fixture and qualify for the Super Eight, they will be slotted into a different group than India. That means the two sides cannot meet again during this phase.

The only remaining possibility for another India-Pakistan contest would come in the knockout rounds. The top two teams from each Super Eight group will progress to the semi-finals. If both India and Pakistan advance that far and win their respective semi-final matches, they could potentially face each other in the final.

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The summit clash is scheduled for March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, as per tournament arrangements, if Pakistan qualify for the final, the match will instead be staged at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

For now, though, Pakistan must first overcome Namibia and secure their Super Eight berth before even thinking about a potential rematch against their arch-rivals.