The 2026 T20 World Cup 2026 will be starting by the end of this week. A total of 20 teams will be targeting to clinch the title, with India aiming to retain it. Well, the tournament started with much political unrest involving India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. However, to bring the fans back to the essence of the sport, here are some key basics that might help as a tournament guide. The slates of the T20 World Cup The participating 20 teams are equally divided into four groups, namely A, B, C, and D, each having five teams in it. Each of the teams will play the other team in its own group once in a round-robin format. Following that, the two teams that will top each group will be qualified for the Super 8. The 8 teams will then be divided into two more groups, four teams in each, and will be placed based on predetermined seedings (X1- X2, Y1-Y2) depending on their rankings. Another single round-robin stage where each team plays the other three in its group. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockouts—the semifinals. The winner of the semifinal will play the final on March 8. Which teams will play in Sri Lanka? India is the key host of the World Cup, with Sri Lanka co-hosting it. The entire Group B, involving Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Oman, will play all their matches in Sri Lanka. Apart from that, all matches of Group A involving Pakistan will be played there. Three major stadiums, the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy, Colombo's Premadasa Stadium, and the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, will be hosting all the matches. Read also: T20 World Cup 2026: Boycotting India Match Could Cost PCB a Jaw-Dropping Sum How will the teams be rewarded with points? As per the tournament's rule, each winning team will be awarded 2 points. If the match gets washed out, the points will be divided equally. In case of a tie, one or more super overs will be played to determine the result. If two or multiple teams end with the same point at the edge of qualifications, be it the group stage or Super 8, the Net Run Rate (NRR) will be seen. The Net run rate calculation Super Over or washed-out matches are not under NRR calculations. Matches that have obtained results will fall under the NRR clause. A team’s net run rate (NRR) is worked out by subtracting the average runs per over conceded from the average runs per over scored in group matches. If a team is bowled out before completing its allotted overs, its NRR is calculated using the full quota of overs, not the actual overs faced. In matches decided by the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method after abandonment, the chasing team is credited with the par score at the point of interruption. If DLS is applied earlier and the match is completed, the team batting first is credited with one run fewer than the revised target. In case of a forfeit due to refusal to play, the defaulting team’s full 20 overs are counted for NRR, while the awarded team’s NRR remains unaffected. When are the reserve days granted? Like all tournaments, the group league or the Super 8 matches will not have any reserve day. The semifinal matches and the final match will have reserve days for each. However, there will be a desperate try to finish the match on the assigned day. Only if the minimum number of overs to be bowled in a day to get a result can't be done will the reserve day come into use. In case overs are subsequently reduced due to any interruption despite starting on the assigned date, the rest of the match can be completed on the reserved day.