T20 World Cup 2026: Badshah, Nora Fatehi, Rishabh Sharma & Sivamani to Perform in The Opening Ceremony

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to start with a grand opening ceremony at Mumbai’s  Wankhede Stadium on February 7, 2026. The event will blend music, culture, and cricket excitement ahead of the tournament opening match between co-hosts India and the USA. Defending champion India will begin their title defence mission on home soil in this 10th edition of the tournament

On Friday, ICC announced that popular rapper Badshah, actor Nora Fatehi, neo-classical music virtuoso Rishab Rikhiram Sharma and legendary percussionist Sivamani will perform in the opening ceremony of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Badshah said, “I’m incredibly excited to be part of this global celebration of sport, entertainment and culture. Music just like cricket brings people together, and I can’t wait to bring my energy to this incredible stage.”

As per media Report Rishab Rikhiram Sharma said , “I’ve always believed the sitar belongs in bold, unexpected spaces. Places that don’t just change how people perceive it, but how they respect it. Opening for the ICC T20 World Cup wasn’t something I imagined, but it’s a powerful step in taking Indian music to a truly global stage. I’m thrilled to share my sound in this historic moment, and even more honoured to share the stage with maestro Sivamani alongside 60,000 fans in attendance!

Sivamani stated as per ANI Report, “Music and cricket both speak a universal language. Performing at the T20 opening in Mumbai is an honour for me. It’s a celebration of India’s energy and love for the game, and I’m excited to connect with the audience through rhythm before the match begins.”

The highlights of the opening ceremony
The opening ceremony will begin with the grand arrival of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy  into the Wankhede Stadium in a spectacular way, carried by a performer using a jetpack. This exciting moment is sure to thrill the crowd.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah will join  former Indian captain Rohit Sharma and 20 young representatives of participating countries  in welcoming the trophy. They will officially launch the 10th edition of T20 World Cup. 

Only ticket holders for the India vs USA match can attend the ceremony. Fans are advised to arrive early to enjoy the full show. After the ceremony, the tournament gets underway with 20 teams from four groups playing 55 matches across India and Sri Lanka until March 8. Co-hosts India and Sri Lanka. 

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj.

USA squad: Monank Patel (C), Jessy Singh, Andries Gous, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamala, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shubham Ranjane.

How many countries are participating in 10th edition of T20 World cup
20 teams are participating in  The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 , which are split into four groups. The teams include the two co-hosts (India and Sri Lanka)  Scotland joined as a late replacement for Bangladesh 

Here is the full list of participating teams group-wise

Group A: India, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan, USA  
Group B: Australia, Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe  
Group C: England, Italy, Nepal, Scotland, West Indies  
Group D:, Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates  

ICC shred fixtures list for the Men’s T20 World Cup in a post on X. Have a quick look at the full schedule of the tournament.

The first edition of T20 World Cup was played in 2007 and it has seen nine editions so far, with six different winners. India, the defending champions, have won the title twice (2007 and 2024) against  West Indies and England respectively. India is the most successful team so far in this format. Other winners were Pakistan (2009), Sri Lanka (2014) and Australia (2021).

Why was Bangladesh replaced?
Bangladesh was officially set to take part but was removed from the tournament. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to play matches in India due to security concerns linked to tensions between the two countries and issues like a player’s release from an IPL team. The ICC rejected requests to shift their games to Sri Lanka and replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, the next highest-ranked non-qualified team, on January 24, 2026. This change affected Group C, where Scotland now competes.

Pakistan announced to boycott match against India
Pakistan is participating in the tournament but has announced it will boycott its Group A match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Pakistan’s government and cricket board made this decision in solidarity with Bangladesh after its removal. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the stance, saying “We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif told members of his cabinet on Wednesday. “We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision.”. Talks continue, but as of now, the India-Pakistan clash is in doubt.

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Shoaibur Rahman

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