Former India captain Anil Kumble believes Team India have a strong chance of defending their title at home in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 which is scheduled to start from February 7.
Anil Kumble on India's chances of defending T20 World Cup 2026 title
Speaking on JioHotstar’s show Team India’s Blueprint for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026, Kumble said the Suryakumar Yadav-led side looks well placed to go deep into the tournament. According to him, India should at least make the semi-finals and has a genuine shot at creating history.
"I think when it comes to World Cups, winning back-to-back titles is not easy, especially in the T20 format. No team has been able to defend its title, which presents a great opportunity for India to do so. I certainly believe that the kind of form the team is in and the strength of the playing squad mean India is well-equipped to face any situation. India should certainly qualify for the semi-finals, and from there on, it's anybody's game. On that particular day, how the team performs will eventually matter. But I genuinely believe India has a great chance to win the World Cup and make it a truly special one by winning back-to-back titles," said Anil Kumble.
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India's T20 World Cup 2026 schedule
Defending champions India are placed in Group A along with Namibia, the Netherlands, the USA and traditional rivals Pakistan. The Men in Blue will begin their campaign against the USA on February 7, before taking on Namibia on February 12.
The much-awaited clash against Pakistan is scheduled for February 15, after which India will play their final group match against the Netherlands.
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India's performance in T20Is
In the lead-up to the World Cup, India have been in impressive form. They recently took an unassailable 3-0 lead in a five-match T20I series with a dominant win in Guwahati, where Abhishek Sharma smashed the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20 international cricket.
Since lifting the T20 World Cup in 2024, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side has not lost a single T20I series and will head into the 2026 tournament full of confidence.
Team India squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.