Harry Brook to lead as England announces playing XI against Nepal for T20 World Cup 2026 opener

The England Cricket Board have announced England's playing XI for their T20 World Cup 2026 opener clash against Nepal which is scheduled to take place at iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Harry Brook will lead two-time champions in the marquee event, which will be the first time he will be captaining England in an ICC tournament.

England playing XIs explained

The two-time world champions will be led by Harry Brook, who is set to captain England for the first time in an ICC tournament. It will be a big moment in his career as he begins his leadership journey on the world stage.

England have named a strong batting lineup. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler will open the innings, giving the team an aggressive start. Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton are set to bat at numbers three and four. Brook himself will come in at number five, while Sam Curran and Will Jacks will handle the finishing duties.

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In the bowling department, England have gone with pace and spin balance. Jofra Archer and Luke Wood will lead the fast bowling attack, with Curran acting as the third seamer. Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson are the main spinners, while Will Jacks provides an extra spin option. Jamie Overton, who played in the recent series against Sri Lanka, has been left out of this match.

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England's T20 World Cup 2026 Group Stage schedule

England are placed in Group C of the tournament. After the opener against Nepal, they will face the West Indies on February 11, again at the Wankhede Stadium. The team will then travel to Kolkata to play Scotland on February 14 and Italy on February 16 at Eden Gardens.

England comes into the World Cup in good form. They recently defeated co-hosts Sri Lanka 3-0 in a bilateral series, which boosted their confidence ahead of the tournament. In the previous T20 World Cup held in 2024, England reached the semi-finals but were knocked out by eventual champions India.