Mumbai:
Defending champions India began their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating the USA at a packed Wankhede Stadium and strengthening their status as tournament favourites. Riding high on their dominant start, India have emerged as the overwhelming choice of experts to lift the trophy once again.
According to JioStar, the official broadcasters of the marquee tournament, 96 per cent of their expert panelists have backed India to go all the way and defend their title. The panel includes prominent former cricketers such as Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla, Anil Kumble, R Vinay Kumar, Saba Karim, and Yuzvendra Chahal, among others.
India Tipped to Reach Final by Every JioStar Expert
Remarkably, all 46 experts on the JioStar panel have predicted India to reach the final, continuing a trend seen in recent ICC tournaments. The Men in Blue have reached the finals of the Cricket World Cup 2023, T20 World Cup 2024, and Champions Trophy 2025, winning the latter two titles under former captain Rohit Sharma.
The experts’ confidence reflects India’s strong squad depth, familiarity with home conditions, and consistent performances in global tournaments over the last few years.
Experts Predict Blockbuster Final Rematches
A significant portion of experts foresee blockbuster rematches in the final.
- More than one-third predicted a repeat of the India vs Australia final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
- Around 30 per cent expect a rematch of the India vs South Africa final from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
These predictions highlight the continued dominance of traditional powerhouses in world cricket.
Semi-Final Predictions: India Lead, Afghanistan Dark Horse
In semi-final predictions, India once again emerged as a top pick among experts, including Sunil Gavaskar, Aaron Finch, and broadcaster Alan Wilkins. Afghanistan was also tipped as a potential semi-finalist, reflecting their growing stature in T20 cricket.
Apart from India, South Africa, Australia, England, and New Zealand were widely predicted to make the last four, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka were occasional surprise picks.
Danny Morrison Explains His Semi-Final Picks
Former New Zealand bowler and commentator Danny Morrison explained his choices, highlighting India’s dominance on home soil:
“Co-host India in their own backyard, this blue juggernaut is hard to stop. I’m going to go with New Zealand because they just played in India, got some top firepower, plenty of players to pick and choose from — all powerhouses. Then England, and fourth South Africa, because a lot of these players have played in the Indian Premier League and have got experience in those conditions.”
India’s Next Match: Namibia on February 12
India will continue their quest to defend the title when they take on Namibia on February 12 at 7:00 PM IST, with the match set to be broadcast live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.