The third day of the 2026 T20 World Cup unfolds today with an exciting schedule of three matches.
The opening game of the day will see Italy take on Scotland in Kolkata. This marks a historic milestone for Italy, as it is the first time in their cricket history that they are competing in a Cricket World Cup.
Italy’s squad features former South African cricketer JJ Smuts, known for his aggressive batting style. Another key player is Ben Manenti, who recently represented the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. The Italian side is captained by 42-year-old Wayne Madsen, bringing experience and leadership to the team.
The second match of the day will be played between Oman and Zimbabwe at the SSC Ground in Colombo. Sikandar Raza leads Zimbabwe, while Jatinder Singh captains Oman.
Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett holds a special record as the youngest player to score centuries in all three formats of the game. Meanwhile, Oman’s 44-year-old Aamir Kaleem becomes the oldest player to feature in a T20 World Cup.
The final match of the day will feature South Africa vs Canada in Ahmedabad. This will be the first-ever T20 encounter between the two nations. Their only previous meeting came in an ODI back in 2003.
South Africa entered this tournament as the runners-up of the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, their recent form has been shaky, having lost 20 out of 32 matches played since July 2024.