Rohit Sharma to Attend Star-Studded T20 World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony at Wankhede
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will start on February 7 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with a ceremonial opening event. Rohit Sharma who captained India to their T20 World Cup victory in 2024 will be attending the event as one of its major stars.
The ceremony will be held just before India’s opening match against the USA and is expected to attract huge attention from fans and viewers across the world. Only fans with tickets to the India vs USA match will be allowed into the opening ceremony, which requires spectators to arrive at the stadium before the designated time.
The event marks the commencement of the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, which is being staged in India and Sri Lanka. The tournament will see a total of 20 teams, who will participate in 55 matches.
Music, Trophy Arrival and Star Performances at Wankhede
The opening ceremony will start at 6 pm IST with Rishab Sharma and Shivamani delivering an energetic musical performance. Badshah the popular rapper and Nora Fatehi the actress will perform after the first act, which will create a glamorous atmosphere for the rest of the evening.
The ceremony will present its most important moment when the T20 World Cup trophy arrives. A jetpack performer will deliver the trophy to the stadium with a dramatic entrance. The trophy will be welcomed to the event by ICC Chairman Jay Shah and Rohit Sharma together with 20 young ambassadors who represent all the participating teams.
The ceremony will introduce to the public the expanded tournament which has increased from 16 teams to 20 teams for the 2026 edition.
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Political Tensions Cast Shadow Ahead of Tournament
Political issues have disrupted the excitement surrounding the tournament build-up because they have combined with cricket activities. Bangladesh were removed from the tournament because they refused to compete against other teams in India due to their security fears. Pakistan officials declared they would not participate in their upcoming match against India.
Both nations blame India for their current situation which began after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was forced to leave his IPL contract following BCCI orders. Bangladesh viewed the action as a direct attack against their national pride.
Scotland will now play the West Indies in Kolkata on the opening day because Bangladesh has withdrawn from the tournament.