Shami believes India’s best in the T20 World Cup 2026 is still to come.
The defending champions outclassed Zimbabwe by 72 runs; hence, the match against the West Indies on Sunday (March 1) in Kolkata will be a do-or-die contest, with the winner advancing to the final-four stage.
Amid the topsy-turvy campaign, veteran pacer Mohammad Shami has urged fans to support the Indian team and not troll players.
Shami believes India’s best in the competition is yet to come, suggesting the team management to play with their best XI.
“In ICC events, you need to pick your best XI and play your best cricket. Considering how the Indian team has performed in T20Is over the past few years, I believe their best performance is still to come and I hope it happens in the Super 8 stage (against West Indies)," Shami said while speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026 in Delhi on Saturday (February 28).
He also defended young batters such as Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma along with skipper Suryakumar Yadav for facing intense scrutiny on social media.
“A lot of people are trolling these players. They are attacking batters, and it’s easy to bring someone down. But if you truly love the sport, you should stand by the team through both good and bad times," Shami stated.
“Instead of making memes about players like Abhishek and Surya, fans should support them and hope they deliver the performances we all want. I’m confident that performance will come," he added.
According to Shami, the Men in Blue have the potential to perform at a level higher than what has been displayed in recent games.
“I believe this Indian team is yet to perform at the level we expect from them, based on what they have shown in the past. I want them to replicate that standard," he remarked.