Ex-Cricketers Affirm Confidence In India's T20 World Cup Title Defending Campaign: 'We Have The Team To Do It'

T20 World Cup 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 on December 20, 2025. Suryakumar Yadav will be leading the Men in Blue squad in the prestigious ICC tournament.

The 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup will kick off from February 7. Team India have been placed in Group A, alongside Namibia, Netherlands, USA, and Pakistan. The Men in Blue will begin their title-defending campaign on February 7, against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

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Former Cricketers Put Trust In India's T20 WC 2026 Campaign

While speaking on JioHotstar, former cricketer Irfan Pathan put is faith in the Suryakumar Yadav-led side, saying that they have the quality to defend the title.

"Can we defend the T20 World Cup? It has never happened before, but we have the team to defend the title. If we win it back-to-back, for me, nothing can be better than that," Irfan Pathan said.

Meanwhile, former cricketer Varun Aaron claimed the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 will be special for the Men in Blue since they will be playing in front of the home fans. He added that it will be extraordinary if Team India manage to defend the title in front of their home crowd.

"If India wins a T20 World Cup at home, that would be so much more special. Obviously, winning a World Cup is a huge achievement. But then winning it at home, just like the women just won the 50-over World Cup, it will be really special if they win it at home," Varun Aaron said on JioHotstar.

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India Beat South Africa In T20 WC 2024 Final 

Earlier in the T20 World Cup 2024, Team India won the title after beating South Africa by seven runs in the finals, at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Talismanic batter Virat Kohli was named the 'Player of the Match' following his 76-run knock in the first innings. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah was named the "Player of the Tournament' in the T20 World Cup 2024.