Michael Clarke predicts finalists for T20 World Cup 2026

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has predicted India and Australia to be the finalists of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Clarke shared his views on  ahead of the marquee tournament that is set to begin on Saturday, February 7.

The hosts have been placed in Group A, alongside Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia. Meanwhile, Australia finds itself in Group B with Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman.

India have won the T20 World Cup twice. They lifted the trophy for the first time during the inaugural edition in 2007, defeating Pakistan in a nailbiter final under MS Dhoni. The Men in Blue are also the defending champions, having clinched the 2024 title after beating South Africa in the final under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.

On the other hand, Australia have won the marquee T20 event once, securing the title in the 2021 edition after defeating New Zealand in the final on the back of a commanding knock from the present Australian skipper, Mitchell Marsh. The last time India and Australia faced each other in the final of an ICC event was during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad, where Australia produced a dominant display to lift the trophy.

Men in Blue would be gearing up to create history and would look to be the first team to defend their crown and win the T20 World Cup at home.  

India outplayed Pakistan, says Michael Clarke

Among the most anticipated clashes in the T20 World Cup 2026 will be the encounter between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. The two teams are scheduled to face each other on February 15 in Colombo.

Clarke expressed that while fans would hope for a closely-contested match, India has consistently held the upper hand against Pakistan over an extended period. He also pointed out that Pakistan would need to cope better with pressure if it is to defeat its rivals.

“Everyone wants to see it tight. But India has outplayed them (PAK) over a long period of time. Pakistan has not even been close. Pakistan needs to be able to deal with the pressure of playing India and that rivalry,” he said on Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.

The two nations have faced each other eight times in T20 World Cup history. India have emerged victorious on six occasions, while Pakistan has managed just one win, while one match has ended in a tie. The last time the two teams met in the tournament, during the 2024 edition, Pakistan suffered a narrow six-run loss after failing to chase down a modest target of 120.