ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 The countdown has started, which is going to be held in India. With familiar pitches, packed stadiums and enthusiastic fan support, the event promises high-spirited cricket and immense pressure on all participating teams. As the excitement builds, former players and experts are coming out with their predictions, analyzing form, conditions and mindset. One of them, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has shared his initial thoughts about the teams reaching the semi-finals of this major tournament.
Harbhajan Singh shares his predictions for T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final spots
Harbhajan believes that hosts India will be strong contenders to go all the way, given their depth, balance and familiarity with home conditions. According to the World Cup winner, playing in India gives a significant advantage to the host team, but handling the mental pressure of the global tournament will be very important.
“I think India have a very good chance of winning the World Cup because they are a very strong team and they are playing at home. They know the conditions better than anyone else. But the pressure of the World Cup is something that they have to handle better than others, which is the most important thing,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by Gulf Today.
Along with India, Harbhajan also named Australia as automatic contenders, highlighting their pedigree in ICC tournaments. The former spinner also pointed out that Australia’s ability to perform under pressure makes them dangerous in any World Cup, no matter the conditions or format.
He also supported South Africa, praising their recent form and consistency in white-ball cricket. The Proteas often enter tournaments as favourites, but fail at crucial stages, but Harbhajan feels their current momentum could eventually translate into a deep run.
Their semi-final lineup also includes Afghanistan, a team that can pose a major threat on Indian pitches. Harbhajan highlighted Afghanistan’s impressive spin attack and growing confidence, saying they have the ability to defeat any opponent in subcontinental conditions.
“I think Australia has always been a very good team and are top contenders to win any cup. South Africa are the other contenders for the title with their current form. They have played some great cricket recently. Afghanistan are also very strong with their spinners. I think they can beat anyone in these conditions. So these are my four semi-final picks,” Harbhajan said.
Two-time champion England has no place in Harbhajan’s list.
One of the most surprising aspects of Harbhajan’s prediction is the absence of England, the two-time T20 World Cup champions. Despite England’s reputation as an explosive white-ball team, Harbhajan did not include them in his semi-finalists, suggesting that conditions and consistency could play a decisive role.
England’s aggressive batting style has brought them success in the past, but adapting to the slow surfaces and high-pressure knockout scenarios in India could prove challenging. With many teams improving rapidly and conditions favoring spin-heavy attacks, the margin for error can be extremely slim even for the established powers.
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