Two-time champions England and West Indies headline a high-stakes Group C in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Can debutants Italy or a surging Nepal pull off a historic upset?

New Delhi: The road, to winning the T20 tournament starts in India and Sri Lanka this February. We are all looking at Group C. This group is special because it has two teams that have won times before. England and the West Indies. Both England and the West Indies really want to win the T20 tournament for the time. They want to be the team to do this.

With the action kicking off on February 7, the stakes are immediate: only two teams will survive the group stage to enter the Super 8.

Battle for T20 supremacy

England is going to the tournament. They are performing really well. They have reached the semi-finals in four World Cups. There are some players in the team like Harry Brook who is the captain. There are also some T20 players in England. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler are very good with the bat. Jofra Archer has returned and is fit. He is leading the bowling attack. So England is the team everyone wants to beat. The team has a lot of players. With Harry Brook as captain and players like Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and Jofra Archer, England looks very strong.

Meanwhile, the West Indies are returning to Eden Gardens—where they had their famous win in 2016—in an attempt to end a decade-long knockout drought. Led by Shai Hope, the Windies rely on Shimron Hetmyer’s explosive power and Akeal Hosein’s strategic spin.

Scotland and Italy

The story of this group is really about the competition between European teams. Scotland is the team with experience and they have a brilliant captain, Richie Berrington. They actually want to reach the Super 8 for the first time since 2021. Scotland is hoping that Brandon McMullen will score a lot of runs for them. The Scotland team is relying on Brandon McMullen’s batting skills. Scotland will have to play well to reach the Super 8.

However, all eyes are on Italy. In their tournament debut, the Italians shocked the cricketing world by defeating Scotland in the regional final. Led by Amar Venn Madson (42), Italy proves that ‘debutant’ does not mean ‘weak’. Keep an eye on Harry Manenti, the same player whose brilliant five-wicket haul earned them a ticket to this World Cup.

Nepal’s rising stars

Nepal is no longer just a team that makes you feel happy. They have become a threat to other teams. The team’s coach is Stewart Law. Rhino has some good players who performed very well last year. Nepal also has some players who are truly excellent at their craft.

• Kushal Bhurtel: The highest run-scorer in the 2025 T20.
• Sandeep Lamichhane: A wicket-taking machine, who has already taken 21 wickets this year.
• Dipendra Singh Airee: A proven century-maker who can change the game in an over.

Key match-ups to watch

The group kicks off on February 7 at Eden Gardens in a spectacular manner:

• Scotland vs West Indies: A classic ‘David vs Goliath’ opening match that will set the tone for the group.
• England vs West Indies: A battle of two-time champions that may decide who takes the top seed.
• Italy vs Scotland: An old rivalry match following Italy’s notable win in the qualifier.

Group C is a powder cake in terms of storytelling. You have England’s clinical professionalism, the West Indies’ flair, and the raw ambition of Nepal and Italy. While the ‘Big Two’ are favorites on paper, the T20 format is notoriously ruthless for those giants who start slowly.