The T20 World Cup 2026 is over. The celebrations have settled. And cricket, as always, has moved on immediately — because it never stops.
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Today is March 12, 2026. IPL 2026's first-phase schedule has been released. The Hundred's first-ever men's player auction is happening live right now in London. And with India confirmed as defending champions, the world is already asking: who will face them in Australia and New Zealand in 2028?
Here is everything you need to know — in one place.
🏏 IPL 2026 Schedule Released — RCB vs SRH Opens March 28
The BCCI released the first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule on March 11 — covering the first 20 matches from March 28 to April 12. The full schedule will be announced in a second phase once state assembly election dates for Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are confirmed.
The key dates you need to know:
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| March 28 | ⭐ RCB vs SRH (Opener) | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| March 29 | MI vs KKR | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| March 30 | RR vs CSK | Sawai Mansingh, Jaipur |
| March 31 | PBKS vs GT | Mullanpur, Chandigarh |
| April 1 | LSG vs DC | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| April 4 | Double Header Day 🔥 | DC vs MI + GT vs RR |
| April 5 | RCB vs CSK (Southern Derby) | Bengaluru |
| May 31 | 🏆 IPL 2026 Final | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
Key IPL 2026 facts: This is IPL's 19th edition — TATA IPL 2026 — featuring 10 teams playing 84 matches total, which is 10 more than last season. All teams will face each other twice in a double round-robin format. The top four teams advance to the playoffs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the defending champions, having won their maiden title in IPL 2025.
One major transfer that will draw enormous attention: Ravindra Jadeja has moved from CSK to Rajasthan Royals — while T20 WC 2026 Player of the Tournament Sanju Samson has moved the other way from RR to CSK. The match between these two sides on March 30 will be the most watched match of the first week — guaranteed.
One important note: RCB's home matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium are subject to clearance by an expert committee on March 13, following safety concerns after last year's deadly stampede at the venue. If Chinnaswamy is ruled out, RCB's home matches will be shifted to Naya Raipur. The BCCI is expected to confirm the venue's status tomorrow.
For Pakistan cricket fans — IPL 2026 has no Pakistani players this year, as the BCCI and PCB tensions over the T20 WC 2026 hosting dispute have not yet been resolved. No Pakistani player was sold or retained by any franchise.
🔨 The Hundred 2026 Men's Auction — Happening Right Now in London
While cricket fans in the subcontinent were watching IPL schedule updates, cricket fans in England woke up this morning to something equally exciting: the first-ever Men's Hundred auction, taking place live at Piccadilly Lights in central London at 10am GMT (3pm Pakistan time).
This is a historic moment for English cricket. The Hundred — which has run since 2021 — has always used a draft system to recruit players. From 2026, it is switching to an IPL-style auction model, following major private investment from IPL franchise owners who have bought stakes in Hundred teams. Three franchises have even been rebranded:
Oval Invincibles → MI London (Reliance Industries, owners of Mumbai Indians, bought 49% stake for £60 million)
Manchester Originals → Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group, owners of Lucknow Super Giants)
Northern Superchargers → Sunrisers Leeds (Sun TV Network, owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, bought 100% for £100 million)
The women's auction took place yesterday (March 11) — and it produced the biggest paydays in women's cricket history. Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney were both bought for £210,000 each, the joint-highest bids in the women's event. England's Dani Gibson was sold to Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 — making her the most expensive England player in Women's Hundred history.
Today's men's auction features some of the biggest names in world cricket. Joe Root, Adil Rashid, Jonny Bairstow and T20 WC 2026 semi-final hero Jacob Bethell are all going under the hammer. Pakistan's Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan have also registered. The men's salary cap has increased 45% from last year to £2.05 million per team — meaning the big names will command serious money.
You can watch the auction live and for free on The Hundred's YouTube channel — or on Sky Sports Cricket in the UK. Results will be confirmed by end of day today.
🌏 T20 World Cup 2028 — Australia & NZ Hosts, 12 Teams Already Qualified
With India lifting the T20 WC 2026 trophy just four days ago, cricket fans are already asking the next question: when and where is T20 WC 2028, and who has qualified?
Here is the complete guide.
Hosts: Australia and New Zealand — confirmed since November 2021 as part of the ICC's 2024–2031 men's hosts cycle. This will be New Zealand's first time hosting the T20 World Cup. Australia previously hosted the 2022 edition.
Dates: October 21 – November 19, 2028 — a 29-day tournament across both countries. Expected venues include the MCG, SCG, Adelaide Oval in Australia and Eden Park Auckland, Wellington Regional Stadium, Hagley Oval Christchurch in New Zealand. The ICC has not yet confirmed the official venue list.
Format: 20 teams, 55 matches — same format as 2026. Four groups of five in the group stage, top two from each group advance to Super Eights, then semi-finals and final.
12 teams already qualified directly:
| Team | How Qualified |
|---|---|
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Co-host |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | Co-host + Super 8 (2026) |
| 🇮🇳 India | Super 8 (2026) — Defending Champions 🏆 |
| 🇬🇧 England | Super 8 (2026) |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | Super 8 (2026) |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | Super 8 (2026) |
| 🌴 West Indies | Super 8 (2026) |
| 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Super 8 (2026) |
| 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | Super 8 (2026) |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | ICC Rankings (March 9, 2026) |
| 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | ICC Rankings (March 9, 2026) |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | ICC Rankings (March 9, 2026) |
The remaining 8 teams will qualify through regional qualifying tournaments held across 2026 and 2027 — covering Africa, Asia, Americas, East Asia Pacific, and Europe. The qualification process began this month, with some regional qualifiers already scheduled from March 2026 onwards.
For Pakistan fans — despite the early Super Eight exit, Pakistan have already qualified for T20 WC 2028 through their Super 8 appearance. Their T20 WC 2026 campaign, though disappointing overall, has secured their place in Australia and New Zealand. Sahibzada Farhan — the tournament's leading run-scorer with 383 runs — will be expected to lead Pakistan's batting once again in two years' time.
India, as defending champions, will begin their 2028 preparations as the tournament favourites. Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma will all be at their peak in 2028. The MCG final, under Australian floodlights — that is the image India will be working towards for the next two years.
Which of today's three stories excites you most — IPL 2026, The Hundred auction, or T20 WC 2028? Drop it in the comments below! 🏏🔥
For all cricket news, match reports and tournament analysis, stay with The Yorker Crew — your complete home for cricket coverage. Check out our full Top 5 Moments of T20 World Cup 2026 for a look back at the tournament that just was!
#IPL2026 #TheHundred2026 #T20WC2028 #CricketNews #IndiaCricket #PakistanCricket #TheYorkerCrew
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