Overview
- The ICC released the full schedule naming eight venues across India and Sri Lanka to stage 55 matches for the 20-team tournament.
- The final is slated for Ahmedabad if conditions allow or for Colombo depending on Pakistan’s qualification and related arrangements.
- Mumbai will host one semifinal, with the other assigned to either Kolkata or Colombo as per the tournament bracket.
- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticized the choice of Ahmedabad for the final and argued for Wankhede or other storied Indian grounds, noting Ahmedabad’s 132,000 capacity versus Wankhede’s 33,500.
- India’s bar on bilateral sport with Pakistan continues to shape neutral-venue planning for marquee fixtures, and the schedule announcement was led by ICC chair Jay Shah with Rohit Sharma introduced as ICC brand ambassador.