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2 min readUpdated: Mar 10, 2026 02:39 PM IST
Indian players celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup. (Express photo | Bhupendra Rana)
Former England pacer Steve Harmison downplayed India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph, insisting that Suryakumar Yadav’s team were far from being the best outfit in the tournament that they clinched beating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final.
Harmison instead picked South Africa as the more consistent side in the 20-team tournament that culminated last Sunday in Ahmedabad. The Proteas had held a dream run, beating all four of their group-stage and Super 8 rivals, including India at the Narendra Modi Stadium last month. However, Aiden Markram’s men suffered a crushing defeat to New Zealand in the semi-finals held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, bowing out of the tournament with the solitary defeat.
Harmsion said that India succeeded better in clinching key moments in their matches and their win largely depended on the frenetic start provided by openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson in the final after the Kiwis opted to field first.
“The Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson partnership largely won the final for India. Bumrah was the difference in the overall tournament on flat tracks. I don’t think India were the best team in this tournament. South Africa were the best team. India were the best ‘moment’ team. They won the best moments,” said Harmson speaking on talkSPORT YouTube channel.
While Harmison remarked that India seemed to be inconsitent in the group stages, he observed that the hosts absorbed pressure in the knockout games better than other sides.
“I don’t think they were that convincing in the group stages. After that, they won the moments. They had trouble against the West Indies in a quarter-final. India found a way to win when not playing well because of their big-moment players. But South Africa were the more consistent team in the tournament, apart from that one game where Finn Allen just had a day out. Handling pressure in big moments and delivering, India did it better than anyone else,” observed Harmison.
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