Sunil Gavaskar picks his favourites to win T20 World Cup 2026
Ahead of the important match between England and New Zealand on March 27 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Former Indian star player and one of the greatest batters of all time, Sunil Gavaskar predicts his favorite side to win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
During a discussion on India Today, Gavaskar opened up about his top two teams to win the tournament. "For me, the two favorites are South Africa and England. England might have had a close victory, but that again is down to the modern tendency to try and finish the game off with a six. Otherwise, the England win would have been a very, very easy win against Pakistan."
"England, because they've got the bowlers who can bowl spin as well as quick. They've got a very good bowling attack and the batting also, they've got a fair bit of depth over there. So I think England and South Africa are the two teams to watch out for," he added.
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CricketnmoreEngland and South Africa's performance in the T20 World Cup 2026
Speaking about England and South Africa's performance in the whole tournament, Harry Brook's side played four matches in the Group stage and won three matches in it. In the first fixture, they defeated Nepal by 4 runs. But in the second game, West Indies brutally dominated them and beat them by 30 runs. However, they made a strong comeback and defeated Scotland and Italy and qualified for the Super 8. Not only this, their great performance led them to the semi-final of the tournament.
While Aiden Markram's South Africa performed brilliantly throughout the whole tournament, their epic performance with the bat and the ball helped them to finish at the top of the Group D points table with 8 points as they won every match and showcased great strategy against Afghanistan. Speaking about their Super 8 journey, they have played 2 matches and won every game in it as well and also qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament.
England's next match in Super 8
Harry Brook's England will play their last match of the Super 8 against New Zealand on March 27 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. It's just a formality match for the England team as they have already qualified for the semi-finals. However, this match will be important for the Blackcaps as they still haven't qualified for the knockout games.
South Africa's next match in Super 8
Speaking about South Africa's last match, they will face Zimbabwe on March 1 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. South Africa has also qualified for the semi-finals. Zimbabwe were already eliminated from the tournament as they lost both their matches and there is no hope left for them.
In a surprising shift during the T20 World Cup 2026, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has placed two other nations ahead of India in his list of title favorites.
While India recently kept their semi-final hopes alive with a 72-run thrashing of Zimbabwe on February 26, 2026, Gavaskar’s latest assessment suggests that the "Men in Blue" have a massive hill to climb to retain their crown.
Gavaskar’s Top Picks for the Trophy
During a recent discussion on India Today, Gavaskar named South Africa and England as the two teams most likely to lift the trophy. His reasoning focused on their current momentum and squad balance:
South Africa: Gavaskar praised the Proteas for their "dominant and smart" cricket. South Africa has already secured a semi-final spot from Group 1, having crushed India by 76 runs and defeated the West Indies. He noted that they have adapted better to tricky, slow surfaces than any other team.
England: Despite a narrow victory over Pakistan that some called a "collapse," Gavaskar highlighted England’s versatility. He pointed to their depth in both spin and pace bowling, as well as a batting lineup that remains aggressive even under pressure.
Why "Not India"?
Gavaskar's exclusion of India from his top two comes after a period of heavy criticism regarding the team's tactical approach in the Super 8s:
The "Overconfidence" Factor: After India's loss to South Africa, Gavaskar blasted the top order for being overconfident and "throwing their bats at everything" instead of playing to the conditions.
Struggles Against Spin: He pointed out a glaring technical flaw in India's left-heavy top order (featuring Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma), which has been consistently exploited by opposition off-spinners.
Technical Dismissals: His blunt critique of Sanju Samson—who got out to a familiar short ball at deep mid-wicket against Zimbabwe—underscored his frustration with recurring mistakes by the Indian batters.
The Current Situation
As of February 27, 2026, England and South Africa are the only teams to have officially qualified for the semi-finals. India remains in a "must-win" scenario. They head to Kolkata to face the West Indies on Sunday; a win will likely see them through to the semis, but a loss would mean elimination.
"England and South Africa are the two teams to watch out for. They've got the depth and the bowlers who can bowl spin as well as quick." — Sunil Gavaskar
Would you like me to pull up the Super 8 Group 1 points table to see exactly what margin India needs to win by against the West Indies?
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