As the cricketing world turns its gaze toward the co-hosted spectacle in India and Sri Lanka, the buzz surrounding the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has reached a fever pitch. With India entering the tournament as the defending champions, the question isn’t just whether they can reach the final on home soil, but who will be standing across from them at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Recently, a panel of legendary Indian cricketers and analysts on Star Sports weighed in, and the consensus was unanimous, India is the team to beat.

Indian experts shortlist the most likely finalists against India

In a high-profile discussion on Star Sports, a Who’s who of Indian cricket history shared their visions for the 2026 final. While every single expert confidently placed India in the summit clash, their predictions for the other finalist revealed a fascinating divide in how they perceive the current global T20 hierarchy.

The predictions from the panel are summarized below:

The data suggests a heavyweight tilt toward Australia, with Irfan Pathan, Aakash Chopra, and Sanjay Bangar all anticipating a high-stakes rematch of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Meanwhile, veteran spinners like Anil Kumble and batting stalwarts like Cheteshwar Pujara are wary of England’s Bazball-influenced T20 aggression. Interestingly, Suresh Raina stood out as the lone voice backing New Zealand, perhaps acknowledging the Black Caps’ uncanny ability to over-perform in ICC events.

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India to begin their title defence at home

India’s journey to defend the title they clinched in 2024 is structured as a marathon, not a sprint. As co-hosts, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side enjoys the luxury of familiar conditions and a partisan home crowd, but the pressure of being the hunted rather than the hunter is immense.

India’s schedule begins in Group A, where they are slated to face the USA (Feb 7), Namibia (Feb 12), Pakistan (Feb 15), and the Netherlands (Feb 18). While the clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo is the undeniable headliner of the group stage, India’s path to the trophy requires navigating the treacherous Super 8 stage, where they are expected to encounter the world’s top-seeded teams.

The Indian management has already signaled a shift toward a “strike-rate first” philosophy, prioritizing explosive hitters like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma alongside the clinical finishing of Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh. With the final scheduled for March 8, 2026, in Ahmedabad, the roadmap is clear: dominate the powerplays, rely on the mastery of Jasprit Bumrah in the death overs, and turn the home advantage into a historic third T20 World Cup title.

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