Several former Indian cricketers shared their predictions for the four semi-finalists of the 2026 T20 World Cup on Star Sports’ Instagram handle. Among the panel, only former Team India all-rounder Irfan Pathan included Pakistan in his list of teams expected to reach the last four, while the others left them out.
The upcoming T20 World Cup will take place from February 7 to March 8, with India and Sri Lanka co-hosting the tournament. After the 2024 edition in the West Indies and the USA, the event will return to subcontinent conditions and is expected to deliver high-quality cricket, new talent, and strong competition.
Former India Cricketers Share Their Picks for T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Finalists
Several former Indian cricketers have shared their predictions for the semi-finalists of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Robin Uthappa picked India, South Africa, England, and New Zealand to reach the last four, leaving out Australia.
However, Irfan Pathan included Australia and Pakistan along with India and England in his list. Cheteshwar Pujara and Anil Kumble selected the same four teams: India, Australia, England, and New Zealand. Aakash Chopra also backed this group, making it the most common prediction among the panel.
These four teams have won five of the nine T20 World Cups so far. India are the defending champions after lifting the title in 2024. The Men in Blue and England have won the tournament twice each.
Mohammad Kaif and Suresh Raina Leave Australia Out of Semi-Final Picks
Mohammad Kaif also left out Australia and selected India, South Africa, New Zealand, and England as his final four prediction. Suresh Raina excluded Australia as well, backing India along with South Africa, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka.
South Africa and New Zealand are still searching for their first T20 World Cup title, while Sri Lanka won the tournament once in 2014.
Former all-rounder Sanjay Bangar named India, Australia, England, and New Zealand as his semi-finalists. Interestingly, none of the former Indian players picked the West Indies, despite them being the first side to win the T20 World Cup twice, in 2012 and 2016.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will feature 20 teams in the group stage, followed by the Super Eights and then the semi-finals.
T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, Format, and Hosting Details
According to the schedule, the T20 World Cup 2026 will begin on February 7, with the final scheduled for March 8. The tournament will feature 55 matches, including the group stage, knockout matches, and the final, played across multiple venues.
The competition will follow the same structure as the 2024 edition. A total of 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five, with each team playing the others in its group once. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage, followed by the semi-finals and the final.
The event will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Under an agreement between the cricket boards, Pakistan will play all their group and Super Eight matches in Sri Lanka. If Pakistan reach the final, that match will also be held in Sri Lanka instead of India.
