Suryakumar's India Face South Africa in Crucial T20 WC 2026 Warm-Up Clash

The Indian men’s cricket team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will face South Africa in their lone warm-up match ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, according to the official warm-up schedule released ahead of the tournament. The warm-up fixture between India and South Africa is scheduled to be played on February 4 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. As per ESPNcricinfo, the match will serve as a repeat of the T20 World Cup 2024 final, which India won, offering the team a high-intensity rehearsal before the start of the global tournament.

The T20 World Cup 2026 will officially begin on February 7, with Pakistan set to take on the Netherlands in the opening match. Pakistan, who share a group with India, will also play just one warm-up game, facing Ireland on February 4 in Colombo, while awaiting final government clearance for participation in the tournament.

Several teams have opted for limited warm-up exposure. England and Australia will not play any official warm-up matches but are scheduled to feature in bilateral series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively in the lead-up to the World Cup. Scotland, who replaced Bangladesh in the tournament, will play two warm-up matches against Afghanistan on February 2 and Namibia on February 4.

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India A will also take part in the warm-up phase, playing the United States in Navi Mumbai on February 2 and Namibia in Bengaluru on February 6. Other warm-up fixtures will be spread across venues in Bengaluru, Chennai, Colombo and Navi Mumbai, featuring teams such as Afghanistan, West Indies, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Nepal, providing competitive match practice ahead of the marquee event.

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