How India and Pakistan can clash 3 times at T20I World Cup 2028?

India vs Pakistan is always the biggest match in any ICC tournament. The rivalry attracts millions of fans around the world, especially because the two teams have not played a bilateral series since 2012 due to political tensions. With the ICC announcing a new format for the 2028 T20 World Cup, there is now a chance that the two rivals could meet more than once in the tournament.

The 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, will still feature 20 teams. However, the ICC has introduced a new tournament format that is designed to give emerging teams more opportunities while making the knockout race more competitive.

So, can India and Pakistan really face each other three times at the 2028 T20 World Cup? How is it possible under the new format, and what do the ICC's new rules say? In this article, we explain the revised format and how cricket's biggest rivals could meet up to three times in the same tournament.

ICC confirms new T20 World Cup 2028 format — Here's how India-Pakistan could meet 3 times

The ICC has confirmed a new format for the 2028 Men's T20 World Cup. The tournament will still feature 20 teams, but the competition will follow a different structure. The teams will first be divided into five groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super 10 stage.

In the Super 10 stage, the 10 qualified teams will be split into two groups of five. The team that finishes first in each group will qualify directly for the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the teams finishing second and third will play crossover Eliminators, with the winners earning the remaining two semi-final spots.

This new format creates a path for India and Pakistan to meet up to three times in one tournament. They could first face each other in the group stage, meet again in the Super 10 if they are placed in the same group, and then play a third time in the knockout stage if both teams continue to progress. It also makes finishing at the top of the Super 10 group more important, as teams that finish second or third must survive an extra knockout match to stay in the tournament.

Group stage, Super 10 & Eliminators explained: The new structure behind the triple clash

The ICC has introduced a new format for the 2028 Men's T20 World Cup while keeping the tournament as a 20-team event. The competition will begin with a Group Stage, where the 20 teams will be divided into five groups of four. Each team will play the other three teams in its group, and the top two teams from every group will qualify for the Super 10 stage.

The Super 10 stage will feature 10 teams split into two groups of five. Each team will play four matches in a round-robin format. The team finishing first in each group will qualify directly for the semi-finals. The teams finishing second and third, however, will not be eliminated. Instead, they will compete in the newly introduced Eliminators for the remaining two semi-final places.

Under this format, India and Pakistan could meet up to three times in a single tournament. They can first face each other in the Group Stage, meet again in the Super 10 if they are drawn in the same group, and then clash once more in an Eliminator, semi-final, or final if both teams continue to progress. The ICC has also confirmed that 12 teams, including India and Pakistan, have already qualified for the 2028 T20 World Cup, while the remaining eight spots will be decided through regional qualifiers and the Global Qualifier.

What a 3rd India-Pakistan clash would mean — Fan frenzy, TV records & what happens next

A third India vs Pakistan match in the same T20 World Cup would be one of the biggest moments in cricket history. Every meeting between the two teams attracts millions of viewers around the world, and another clash would create even more excitement among fans. Stadiums would likely be sold out, while television and digital streaming platforms could see record-breaking viewership.

The new ICC format makes such a scenario possible if both teams continue to win matches and qualify for the later stages. They could first meet in the Group Stage, play again in the Super 10, and then face each other in an Eliminator, semi-final, or even the final. Every match would become more important, with a place in the next round at stake.

If India and Pakistan do meet three times, it would be a major boost for the tournament. Fans would get to witness one of cricket's greatest rivalries more than once, while broadcasters and sponsors would benefit from the huge global interest. However, whether a third clash happens will depend entirely on both teams performing well and progressing through the tournament.