After reviving India’s semi-final hopes with a 72-run win over Zimbabwe in the Super 8 match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 in Chennai on February 26, former England captain Michael Vaughan has given a stern warning to the other teams.
Michael Vaughan warns rivals after India’s big comeback in T20 World Cup 2026
After the high-pressure clash, Vaughan praised the Men in Blue for handling the moment perfectly. The Indian batsmen responded to critics who doubted their approach in style. He did what the situation demanded against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The pitch did not help the bowlers at all. It looked flat and hard. It provided very little speed. Still, Jasprit Bumrah kept things tight. He gave only 21 runs in his four overs. He didn’t take any wickets, but controlled the flow of runs when it mattered most.
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The real star with the ball was Arshdeep Singh. He took three wickets and gave only 24 runs. They attacked with confidence and put pressure back on the Zimbabwean team.
Vaughan refuses to read too much into India’s six bowling options
The defending champions went in with six bowling options and Shivam Dubey conceded 46 runs in just two overs. With the match almost decided, Vaughan feels Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav used that moment to test his sixth bowler Dubey, and it was a strategic move, not a mistake.
The Englishman believes that the biggest positive side of this Super 8 game was Abhishek Sharma’s return to form. He said Sanju Samson looked strong at the top and Tilak Verma played a brilliant inning of 44 not out in 16 balls, which will help them in the upcoming matches.
“I wouldn’t read too much into it. The rest of the bowling was pretty good. The pitch is flat. India did what they had to do today,” Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
Zimbabwe’s encounter shows new discipline with the bat
The commentator believes that India’s defeat against South Africa served as a warning, as they looked careless and lost focus, but against Zimbabwe, they “switched off with bat in hand”, as they were just not hitting any balls and not playing their shots.
He said, “I have seen this Indian team for a long time which wants to go on the path of winning against South Africa. They know that the West Indies game is important to reach the semi-finals. I think the West Indies will have to play a great game to defeat India.”
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Michael Vaughan supports India against West Indies
Now, the focus has shifted to the crucial Super 8 clash against West Indies in Kolkata, which could be beneficial for the teams chasing the target. The toss may play a role, but Vaughan feels this Indian team looks strong enough to win even if luck is not on their side.
Vaughan said, “We know Kolkata; it can be a good chasing ground. It all depends on the pitch, but it can be a good chasing ground. I think India are good enough to get the wrong end of the toss to win that game of cricket. I think West Indies have to get the right end of the toss to win that game.”
Vaughan predicts it will be a South Africa-India final
The Englishman said India are back in the title race at the T20 World Cup 2026 after a strong comeback and even predicted a blockbuster final between the defending champions and South Africa – a repeat of the last edition’s final in Barbados.
Vaughan said, “It has been a very good day for India. They are back in the race to win the World Cup. You need a little blip along the way sometimes. They will say they don’t need a blip because they are playing so well. But I would say that has happened now. I would not be surprised at all if it is a South Africa-India final.”
