WCL 2026 Semi-Finals: SA vs ENG, AUS vs WI Preview, Times
Published on October 15, 2026
Summary Overview: WCL 2026 semi-finals on October 16 in Sharjah: South Africa Champions vs England Champions, then Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions. Times, form and key players.
Four Teams, Two Semi-Finals, One Day: Who Reaches the WCL 2026 Final?
Who is playing?
Semi-Final 1: South Africa Champions vs England Champions. Semi-Final 2: Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions.
When and where?
Friday, October 16, both at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Semi-Final 1 starts at 3:30 PM local time (5:00 PM IST, 7:30 AM ET), and Semi-Final 2 at 7:30 PM local (9:00 PM IST, 11:30 AM ET).
Who are the favourites?
South Africa Champions, the defending champions, who won all five league games. But England pushed them closest of anyone, losing by just 9 runs.
When is the final?
Sunday, October 18, in Sharjah at 7:30 PM local time (9:00 PM IST, 11:30 AM ET).
The Story: Four Teams Left
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) is a T20 tournament for retired international players, playing as national teams such as "South Africa Champions". This third season is being played in the UAE, with six teams after Pakistan Champions withdrew before the start.
For readers new to cricket: in a T20 match, each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries). A semi-final is a knockout game: the winner goes to the final, and the loser goes home.
After 15 league games, the top four were decided, and India Champions, the 2024 winners, were knocked out along with Bangladesh Champions. The pairings follow the standard format: 1st plays 4th, and 2nd plays 3rd.
How the League Finished
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | Pts | NRR | Status |
| 1 | South Africa Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | +2.589 | Qualified |
| 2 | Australia Champions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | +0.032 | Qualified |
| 3 | West Indies Champions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -0.489 | Qualified |
| 4 | England Champions | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -0.042 | Qualified |
| 5 | India Champions | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Eliminated | |
| 6 | Bangladesh Champions | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Eliminated |
NRR (net run rate) measures how quickly a team scores compared with how quickly it concedes. It split Australia and West Indies, who both won three games.
Semi-Final 1: South Africa Champions vs England Champions
Friday, October 16, 3:30 PM local time, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
South Africa Champions: Five From Five?
The defending champions have been the team of the tournament. They passed 200 three times, and their three wins batting first came by 97, 9 and 88 runs.
Captain AB de Villiers has been the headline act, with a 37-ball century against Australia, finishing on 111 not out. JP Duminy (66 and 76) and Richard Levi (87 and 62) have given the batting real depth, and leg-spinner Imran Tahir has done the job with the ball.
England Champions: The Team That Got Closest
England's season has been up and down. They beat India Champions by 21 runs and Bangladesh Champions by 7 wickets, then lost their last three games.
But one of those defeats is the reason to give them a chance. On October 13, England chased 205 and finished on 195 for 7, just 9 runs short. Apart from a four-wicket win over India, it was South Africa's only close game.
Their League Meeting
| Date | Result |
| Oct 13 | South Africa Champions 204/5 beat England Champions 195/7 by 9 runs |
What to watch: England's batting has been strong, with scores of 192, 195 and 202 in their league games. If their bowlers can stop South Africa's top order early, this could be the closest game of the tournament.
Semi-Final 2: Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions
Friday, October 16, 7:30 PM local time, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Australia Champions: Finishing Strong
Australia lost their opening game to India by 46 runs, but won three of their last four. Their only loss in that run came against South Africa, despite posting 209 for 5. They beat England by 16 runs in their final league game.
West Indies Champions: Bouncing Back From a Heavy Defeat
West Indies chased well all tournament, beating England by 7 wickets, Bangladesh by 5 wickets (chasing 219) and India by 6 wickets. Their two defeats were both heavy, though: by 97 runs against South Africa and by 36 runs against Australia.
Their League Meeting
| Date | Result |
| Oct 11 | Australia Champions 119 all out beat West Indies Champions 83 all out by 36 runs |
What to watch: that league game was the lowest-scoring match of the tournament. Australia defended just 119, bowling West Indies out for 83. West Indies will be desperate to show that night was a one-off.
Semi-Final and Final Schedule
| Match | Date | Fixture | Venue | Local (GST) | IST | ET |
| Semi-Final 1 | Fri, Oct 16 | South Africa Champions vs England Champions | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 3:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 7:30 AM |
| Semi-Final 2 | Fri, Oct 16 | Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 7:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 11:30 AM |
| Final | Sun, Oct 18 | Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 7:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 11:30 AM |
Local time is Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). ET is US Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4). In Pakistan, Semi-Final 1 starts at 4:30 PM, and Semi-Final 2 and the final at 8:30 PM. In the UK, the times are 12:30 PM and 4:30 PM (BST).
Stat Corner
League Results of the Four Semi-Finalists
| Team | Wins | Losses |
| South Africa Champions | West Indies (97 runs), Australia (8 wkts), India (4 wkts), England (9 runs), Bangladesh (88 runs) | None |
| Australia Champions | Bangladesh (37 runs), West Indies (36 runs), England (16 runs) | India (46 runs), South Africa (8 wkts) |
| West Indies Champions | England (7 wkts), Bangladesh (5 wkts), India (6 wkts) | South Africa (97 runs), Australia (36 runs) |
| England Champions | India (21 runs), Bangladesh (7 wkts) | West Indies (7 wkts), South Africa (9 runs), Australia (16 runs) |
Highest Totals by the Semi-Finalists
| Team | Score | Opponent |
| South Africa Champions | 242/5 | West Indies Champions |
| West Indies Champions | 221/5 | Bangladesh Champions |
| Australia Champions | 218/6 | England Champions |
| South Africa Champions | 210/2 | Australia Champions |
| South Africa Champions | 210/3 | Bangladesh Champions |
Players to Watch
AB de Villiers (c): The star of the tournament after his 37-ball century against Australia.
JP Duminy: Two big fifties, including 76 off 43 against England in the league.
Richard Levi: The opener whose fast starts have set up South Africa's big totals.
D'Arcy Short: Hit 34 off 16 balls with five sixes, Australia's top score in their low-scoring win over West Indies.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the WCL 2026 semi-finals?
- Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Semi-Final 1 starts at 3:30 PM local time (5:00 PM IST), and Semi-Final 2 at 7:30 PM local time (9:00 PM IST).
Who plays in the WCL 2026 semi-finals?
- South Africa Champions vs England Champions, and Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions.
When is the WCL 2026 final?
- Sunday, October 18, 2026, in Sharjah at 7:30 PM local time (9:00 PM IST, 11:30 AM ET).
Who won the previous WCL titles?
- India Champions won the first edition in 2024, and South Africa Champions won in 2025.
Why are Pakistan Champions not playing?
- They withdrew before the tournament after the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to issue the No Objection Certificates their players needed.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 WCL 2026: South Africa Champions Make It Five From Five
📋 World Championship of Legends 2026: Preview, Schedule and Squads
📋 Pakistan Champions Pull Out of WCL 2026: Why It Happened and What It Means
📋 World Championship of Legends 2026 Standings and Points Table