Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has thrown his support behind the India national cricket team to reach the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 despite their crushing 76-run defeat in the Super 8 stage. The loss, which came against the South Africa national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium, triggered widespread criticism of India’s performance and tactics.
Chasing a challenging target of 188, the side led by Suryakumar Yadav collapsed for just 111 runs. The heavy defeat raised questions about India’s batting approach, team balance and the strategy adopted by head coach Gautam Gambhir. With the Super 8 stage leaving little room for error, the loss instantly put India under pressure to deliver in their remaining matches.
However, Michael Clarke believes the setback should not overshadow India’s overall strength in the shortest format. Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, the former Australian skipper emphasised that India remains the most formidable T20 side in world cricket, particularly when playing in familiar conditions.
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“For South Africa to beat the favourites in their own backyard—wow, that’s a huge win for them,” Michael Clarke said. “Now the pressure shifts to India, which will make things interesting. But for me, they are still the best T20 team in the world. They understand these conditions better than anyone, and that’s why I still believe they can reach the final despite this defeat.”
Looking ahead to the remaining Super 8 fixtures, Clarke expects India to bounce back strongly against Zimbabwe. While acknowledging Zimbabwe’s progress in reaching the Super 8 stage, he feels India possesses far greater depth and experience, which should help them secure a convincing win.
At the same time, Clarke singled out India’s upcoming clash against the West Indies cricket team as a potential blockbuster. According to him, that contest could ultimately determine which side progresses from the group.
“You expect India to beat Zimbabwe, no disrespect to them,” Michael Clarke explained. “But the game against the West Indies will be fascinating. They’re playing fearless cricket, they’ve got a talented squad and a lot of confidence. That match could decide who finishes second in the group and moves forward.”
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Clarke, who guided the Australian national cricket team to the final of the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, also stressed that India’s missing out on the final would be a major shock. Given their current form, squad depth and home advantage, Clarke believes writing off India at this stage would be premature. In his view, the defeat to South Africa may simply serve as the wake-up call the tournament favourites needed.
