ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals: Schedule, Reserve Days & Rain Rules
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has reached its most exciting stage. Four teams now battle for two final spots. This promises a gripping end to a hard-fought tournament. South Africa face New Zealand in the first semi-final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This match starts on Wednesday, 4th March, at 7:00 PM IST. Then, on Thursday, 5th March, India vs England will happen at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This game also begins at 7:00 PM IST.
India earned their semi-final spot by beating the West Indies in their last Super 8 match. Meanwhile, England cruised through their group. They won all three matches and finished at the top. Both teams bring a lot of momentum into this game. India play as the current champions. England play as hungry challengers who perform well on big stages.
Rain still threatens these matches. Officials abandoned two games earlier in this tournament. This includes the Super 8 match between New Zealand and Pakistan on 21st February. Luckily, the ICC set reserve days for both semi-finals. If rain stops play on 4th March, the match moves to 5 March. This shift pushes the India vs England game to 6th March. On reserve days, play starts early at 3:00 PM IST. The final takes place on 8th March in Ahmedabad. Officials will use 9th March as a backup day. Both days keep the 7:00 PM IST start time.
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India vs England semi-final: Who will qualify for the final if rain washes out the game?
The rules allow 90 extra minutes on scheduled days. They allow 120 minutes on reserve days. Umpires can cut the number of overs if the rain continues. Both teams must finish at least 10 overs each to get a result. If teams find that minimum impossible over both days, the higher-ranked Super 8 team moves on. England topped their group, so they would make the final if players cannot finish the second India vs England semi-final. South Africa also ranked higher than New Zealand, so they would advance in the same situation.
