The former South Africa captain, Faf du Plessis, makes a shocking call ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 Final. After beating England in a high-scoring match, India is in the final of the tournament, preparing to take on New Zealand.

During a quick question-answer round with ESPNcricinfo, du Plessis was asked to predict the winner of the T20 World Cup 2026. The reply made by the former can put many cricket fans in disbelief.

Faf du Plessis predicted the winner of the T20 World Cup 2026

It was rapid fire round, where the former skipper had to reply with quickness. For most parts of the round, he preferred to name his own nation, which is South Africa. Though the way South Africa was eliminated from the title race was disappointing for him.

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But will be the champion of this edition’s T20 World Cup 2026? Over a strong-performing New Zealand cricket team, Faf du Plessis said that India will lift the title again.

If the Men in Blue can claim the title for the second straight edition, then it will be a historic moment. So far, none of the teams have been able to defend their title, and none of the teams have been able to win the trophy on their home ground. If India manages to reclaim the title, then they will be the first ever to defend the title successfully, and the first ever team to win on home soil.

Faf du Plessis’ replies for each quickly fired question:

Faf du Plessis shared his quick picks while answering a series of questions. When asked about Big Hits, he went with South Africa, and for All Class, he again chose his national side. For the Bankable Star, du Plessis picked Jasprit Bumrah from India.

Talking about raw pace, he named Jofra Archer of England as lightning-quick. For Tactical Wizard, du Plessis selected South Africa captain Aiden Markram. He described Zimbabwe as the Underrated side of the tournament, while also labeling South Africa as Disappointing in one category.

For the ‘Safe Hands’ category, there were multiple names in his thoughts, like New Zealand star Glenn Phillips and South Africa’s experienced keeper-batter Quinton de Kock. But Plessis mentioned Marco Jansen as Phillips and de Kock, both dropped catches.

But, when he was asked to predict the name of the winner, du Plessis, taking no time, said, “India”.

The World Cup’s most bankable player? Faf has his pick 👀 pic.twitter.com/9prseRDYTz

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 6, 2026

Semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026

Talking about the semifinals of the tournament, India entered the final by defeating England by 7 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India went to bat first and registered 253 runs in exchange for 7 wickets, thanks to Sanju Samson’s 89-run innings. In reply, England scored 246 runs, mostly supported by Jacob Bethell’s valiant century. But his sole effort was not enough to save the match for his team.

In the other semifinal, New Zealand defeated South Africa in a one-sided match. Finn Allen smashed an undefeated century to ensure a 9-wicket win, chasing 170 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Finn Allen’s opening partner, Tim Seifert, registered a half-century as well in the run chase.

Read More: Jasprit Bumrah enters the elite list ahead of India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Final

Thalapathy Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ is nearing its censor certification, with a screening scheduled for March 9, 2026. This development could pave the way for a release, potentially before the Tamil Nadu elections in late April or early May. The film’s release was initially planned for Pongal but was delayed.

Thalapathy Vijay‘s most awaited actioner ‘Jana Nayagan’ is reportedly moving closer to completing its censor formalities. The movie, directed by H. Vinoth, has been awaiting its certification for some time. Now, new reports suggest that the process could finally move forward.According to a report by Valai Pechu, the makers of Jana Nayagan have received an email from the Revising Committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The committee is said to have scheduled a screening for the film on March 9, 2026. Apparently, the film will be screened by the committee on March 9, 2026, at 2 pm. If everything proceeds without complications the certification could be issued soon after the screening. That would allow the team to finalize the film’s theatrical release plans.Film initially planned for January releaseJana Nayagan was originally planned for a Pongal release. The film was earlier scheduled to hit theatres on January 9, 2026. However, the release did not happen as expected.The delay was primarily due to the film still awaiting its censor certificate. Without certification from the CBFC, the movie cannot be released in theatres.

Toxic postponement creates opportunity

Recently, the makers of Yash’s ‘Toxic’ announced a change in their release plan.‘Toxic’ production house confirmed that ‘Toxic’ would not release on March 19, 2026, as originally planned. Instead, the team is now targeting June 4, 2026 which was a move influenced by the current situation in Middle Eastern countries.This postponement disappointed many fans who were eager for the film’s release. However, the change has also created an open window in the theatrical calendar.For the team behind ‘Jana Nayagan’ this newly available slot reportedly could a blessing in disguise. With fewer major releases around that time, the film might enjoy a clearer run at the box office.

Makers avoid clash with ‘Toxic’

Earlier reports had suggested another possible release date for ‘Jana Nayagan’. Some sources claimed that the film might arrive in theatres on June 18, 2026.However, the producers reportedly do not want Vijay’s film to release too close to ‘Toxic’. Releasing just two weeks after a major pan-Indian film could affect box office performance.A report by the Valai Pechu YouTube channel stated that the Jana Nayagan team expects the newly revised censor board committee to complete the film’s review and issue certification by March 17, 2026. If the process moves as planned the film may arrive sooner than anticipated.Because of this, the makers are said to be exploring an earlier release window instead of waiting until June.Another factor that could shape the film’s release is the upcoming Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections.Sources indicate that if the censor approval comes through on time, ‘Jana Nayagan’ could be released exactly a week after the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections.Although official election dates have not yet been announced, the voting is expected to take place in the third week of April 2026.If that timeline holds, Vijay’s film could arrive in theatres by late April or early May. However, the makers are yet to confirm the final release date.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah hugs teammate Sanju Samson (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has lavished praise on star pacer Jasprit Bumrah following his decisive spell in India’s thrilling semi-final victory over England cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan described Bumrah as a rare talent and said India should consider themselves fortunate to have a bowler of his calibre. The former pacer highlighted Bumrah’s complete skill set and his remarkable ability to deliver under pressure in the biggest moments.

“I have spoken about Bumrah many times before and I will say it again. We are lucky that a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah plays for India. India has never had a bowler like him before. Perhaps the world has rarely seen a bowler like him. He has everything including yorkers, slower balls, outswing, inswing, and bouncers. He also knows very well how to bowl under pressure,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.India had earlier piled up a massive 253/7 after being put in to bat, largely thanks to a blistering 42-ball 89 from Sanju Samson. However, England remained firmly in the chase for most of the innings, powered by a superb century from Jacob Bethell.With England still eyeing the target late in the innings, Bumrah produced a decisive moment in the 18th over. At the start of the over, England required 45 runs from the final three overs, but Bumrah conceded just six runs while delivering four pinpoint yorkers. The pressure was then amplified by Hardik Pandya, who bowled an excellent penultimate over that cost just nine runs and also accounted for Sam Curran. England eventually finished on 246/7, falling seven runs short of India’s total.Earlier in the innings, Bumrah had also delivered a tight 16th over, giving away just eight runs and further tightening India’s grip during the closing stages.Pathan felt Bumrah’s effort deserved the Player of the Match award, particularly because he bowled the toughest overs on a batting-friendly surface where runs flowed freely.“According to me, Jasprit Bumrah should have been the Player of the Match. If you watched the game, you would have noticed that every other bowler had an economy rate of around 10. Some were even above 10 or close to 15. On such a flat pitch, 500 runs were scored. The one who performs the difficult job in such conditions is the real Player of the Match. The kind of work Jasprit Bumrah does, he bowls the tough overs,” he said.Pathan also highlighted Bumrah’s tactical awareness, pointing to how the pacer outthought Harry Brook with clever variation rather than pace.“Once again, when he came to bowl, the first batter he faced was Harry Brook. He did not try to bowl fast because he has a brilliant cricketing mind. He trapped Harry Brook with a slower ball right away. Bumrah could have bowled a yorker or a bouncer on the first delivery and played on his ego thinking, ‘I am Jasprit Bumrah.’ But he does not do that. He understands the pitch, the conditions, and he reads the batter very well. He knew Harry Brook likes pace. So instead of giving him pace, he trapped him with a slower delivery, which eventually led to Axar Patel taking the catch.”India’s innings was built around Samson’s explosive knock of 89 off 42 balls, which included eight fours and seven sixes. Valuable contributions also came from Shivam Dube (43 off 25), Ishan Kishan (39 off 18), Pandya (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off seven) as India posted a formidable 253/7 in their 20 overs.England were once struggling at 95/4 before Bethell’s aggressive 105 off 48 balls, along with a 77-run stand with Will Jacks (35 off 20), brought them back into the contest. A brief four-ball blitz worth 19 runs from Jofra Archer nearly turned the match in England’s favour, but India managed to hold their nerve in the closing moments.With the win, India secured a place in the tournament final, where they will face New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8 as they aim to capture another major ICC title.

India’s Abhishek Sharma (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged the team management to persist with young opener Abhishek Sharma for the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 against New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad. At the same time, Ashwin did not shy away from criticising the left-hander’s approach, saying the batter needs to better understand match situations.The 25-year-old has struggled to find rhythm in the tournament. Apart from one half-century, Abhishek has endured a difficult run with three ducks. His troubles continued in the semi-final against the England cricket team at the Wankhede Stadium, where he briefly looked aggressive before throwing away his wicket.

Abhishek began confidently by hitting two boundaries off Will Jacks in the second over. However, an attacking intent soon led to his dismissal. Jacks tossed the ball up, tempting the left-hander into a big shot. The attempt did not come off as planned, with the ball flying off the lower part of the bat before Phil Salt completed a simple catch.Notably, this marked the fourth occasion in the tenth edition of the T20 World Cup that Abhishek had fallen to spin. Earlier in the tournament, he had been dismissed by Salman Ali Agha of Pakistan, Aryan Dutt of the Netherlands and Akeal Hosein.Despite the setbacks, Ashwin believes Abhishek should still be backed for the title clash. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, the veteran spinner said the youngster has proven ability against quality bowling and should not be discarded because of a lean patch.“Abhishek Sharma has that factor. In the series against New Zealand, he was in top form. He has batted well against Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in the past. So I wouldn’t be too fussed about Abhishek. But I would like to have a conversation with him. I would tell him, ‘Listen, there’s a plan against you.’ So don’t try hard to hit the ball,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.Ashwin also pointed out that Abhishek’s dismissal in the semi-final came from poor decision-making rather than lack of ability.“In the semi-final against England, I think it was headless batting from him. I am a big fan of his gameplay. He scored eight runs against Jacks, but he intended to score 30 runs against him. Sometimes, you have to leave the ball. Sanju Samson is going so well at the other end, so you just need to take the single and get to the other end. You will get your tee time,” he added.The former spinner further advised India’s leadership group, including head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, to ensure that Abhishek is not burdened with excessive pressure ahead of the final.“Abhishek is a damn good talent, but I just want to know what sort of conversations are being had with him. Is he coming under too much pressure? If you give him more pressure, then he will look to hit the ball harder. He is a fluent player who relies on timing. You have to keep him in good space, and I will continue with him,” said Ashwin.India eventually sealed their place in the final with a thrilling seven-run win over England after defending a formidable 253/7. The contest at the Wankhede turned into a run-fest, with both teams combining for nearly 500 runs in a high-scoring semi-final.