On February 5, 2026, during a session of “Salaam Cricket” on Sports Tak, Rishabh Pant shared his thoughts about the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Even though he is not part of the squad due to injury, he strongly backed the Indian team and provided insights on his predicted semi-finalists and player performances.
Rishabh Pant’s semi-final prediction for T20 World Cup 2026
Pant’s choices for the semi-finals include well-established teams and a growing Asian side. He did not include Pakistan and England, choosing a team he feels will perform well in subcontinental conditions.
“In my opinion, the semifinalists will be India, Australia, and South Africa. The fourth team should be an Asian side, so it will be Afghanistan. I think Indian conditions will definitely help them. Their game has improved, and they have a strong process,” Pant remarked.
Pant is confident that India will defend their title, citing the depth of talent in the squad, which makes every player a possible match-winner.
“The depth of Indian cricket is remarkable right now. I don’t know how teams will beat them. All players are dangerous—whoever performs will win the match for India. We have World Cup-winning bowlers with great variety,” he added.
Pant’s one-word descriptions of his Indian teammates for T20 World Cup 2026
- Abhishek Sharma: Handsome (Pant identified him as the “most dangerous” batter).
- Ishan Kishan: Cute
- Hardik Pandya: Outrageous
- Sanju Samson: Team Player
- Rinku Singh: Amazing Team Man
- Arshdeep Singh: Intelligent
- Shivam Dube: Game-changer
- Tilak Varma: Brave
- Washington Sundar: Smart Package
