T20 World Cup 2026: Brett Lee predicts Team India stalwart to be Most Valuable Player in marquee event

Former Australian seamer Brett Lee picked Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav to win the Most Valuable Player award in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which begins on Saturday, February 7. The right-handed batter roared back into form during the recently-concluded five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

In 2025, Suryakumar had a forgettable time with the bat in T20I cricket. The flamboyant batter could only manage 218 runs in 19 innings at a paltry average of 13.62 in 2025. He failed to score a half-century in the calendar year.

However, in India's last assignment before the T20 World Cup, the five T20Is against the Kiwis, Suryakumar found form. He amassed 242 runs in five innings at an average of 80.67 and a strike rate of 196.75 and was adjudged Player of the Series.

Lee also predicted that in-form mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy will finish the T20 World Cup campaign with the most wickets.

"His form coming into this, the wickets will be prepared that will suit him, the way that he can bamboozle the batters, I think this is set for him, this will be his World Cup," he said in an appearance on Mr. Cricket UAE podcast.

Chakaravarthy is the top-ranked bowler in T20I cricket. He bagged four wickets in three games against the Black Caps. So far in his career, the 34-year-old has played 36 T20Is, picking up 59 wickets at an average of 15.69 and an economy rate of 7.15.

Brett Lee predicts semi-finalists and eventual champions

Lee said that India, Australia, England, and New Zealand are the four teams that could make it to the semi-finals. He mentioned New Zealand as the dark horse in the 20-team tournament. The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that either India or Australia could lift the title. However, when he was asked to pick only one from the two, he went with Mitchell Marsh's men.

"It'll be one of two, India or Australia. Don't hate me, Australia will win, that's my heart," the 49-year-old stated.

India are placed in Group A with Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA for company. Meanwhile, Australia find themselves in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman.