India will next face Zimbabwe in Super 8s on February 26 in Chennai.
Even if India's defeat against South Africa has changed the dynamics of the current T20 World Cup 2026, former Australia captain Michael Clarke still thinks his team is the greatest in the world.
Clarke stated unequivocally that India is still the standard in the game's shortest format despite their loss to South Africa. India lost to South Africa by 76 runs in their first Super 8s game in Ahmedabad; that also dented their net run rate badly.
“For South Africa to beat the favorites in their own backyard—wow! That's a huge game for them and a huge victory. Now the pressure is on this Indian team, which is going to be great to see. To me, they’re still the best team; they’re the best T20 team in the world playing in conditions they know so well. So, I’m still backing them to make the final, but things change now after losing that game to South Africa,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.
India will next face Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26 and then the West Indies in Kolkata on March 1 in must-win games in the Super 8s.
“You definitely expect them to beat Zimbabwe—and again, no disrespect to Zimbabwe, they deserve to be in the Super 8—but I expect India to beat them comfortably. The one that’s going to be an absolute beauty is against the West Indies. The West Indies are playing their best cricket at the moment. They are strutting. They have got a brilliant team, and they believe in themselves. I think that game could be the one that dictates what second team qualifies from that group,” Clarke said.
“If India doesn't qualify… You’d be absolutely fuming if you were an Indian cricket fan, and you would be surprised. They're brilliant at T20 cricket; they’re currently the best team in the world, and they’re playing in conditions they know so well. It would be huge if India didn’t qualify. I would not—you’d be stupid to—write India off, not only to qualify but also to be in that final,” Clarke added.
Clarke further said that South Africa came well prepared and motivated for their Super 8s game against India. He especially mentioned their close win over Afghanistan and how that win helped the Proteas wake up from complacency.
“Before the tournament started, I thought they were the team that was just going to slide under the radar, and I think they’ve continued to do that again. I think what’s helped them was that they won, but that super close win over Afghanistan—the super over game—I just think they should not have won that game. 100%, they should have lost in real time and then in the first super over, but I think what that did was just give them a little bit of a kick up the backside,” Clarke said.
South Africa arrived sharper and more confident after surviving that scare before facing India in the crucial contest.
Clarke also underlined their squad strength: “On paper, they’re as strong as any team. Unreal bowling attack. They got plenty of power: a young, fit, super athletic batting order that has all had IPL experience. These young superstars have played a lot of IPL cricket now, so I think that helps them as well in a big tournament under pressure, and I don’t think they’re scared of this big stage anymore."