English batter Danielle Wyatt-Hodge has donned her predictor’s hat as the drama continues in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The experienced batter has opined that England will be playing the final in this edition of the twenty-team tournament. She revealed that teams like India, South Africa and New Zealand are also among the favourites to play the game on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

However, Wyatt-Hodge looked quite perplexed to pick the opposition that the Three Lions might meet in the grand finale of the major T20 event. During her exclusive chat with CricTracker, she also revealed that the intent with which Abhishek Sharma bats, despite the latter’s failures in the ongoing tournament, is something that she admires a lot. 

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England have become the first side in this edition to qualify for the T20 World Cup semi-final, but do you feel they are yet to bring their A-game into the picture?

I feel like I’m going to be biased here, but I think England are going to go all the way. It could be an England vs India final, which would be very exciting. England just haven’t quite fired yet. They haven’t played that perfect game, which is probably a good thing because they’ve reached the semi-finals without playing their best cricket. You’ve got Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, probably the most destructive T20 opening pair in the world, and they haven’t hit their straps yet.

I feel like they’re going to find form at the back end of the tournament, which will be really entertaining to watch. Jos is so experienced, and he knows his game. He’ll be disappointed with how his tournament has gone so far, but he understands his game better than anyone and knows a big score is just around the corner.

It’s never nice as a batter. I’ve been there myself, like many others around the world who’ve been in that spot. It’s not easy. But you’ve just got to trust the process and keep going. Don’t give up. A few boundaries, and suddenly it all clicks again. And when it does, he can take down any bowling attack in the world.

England have match-winners right through their lineup, so it’s going to be a very exciting finish to the tournament for sure. Who do you think will play in the final of the T20 World Cup?

I think it’ll be India versus England, or maybe England versus South Africa. It could even be India versus New Zealand. They’re four massive teams, and I actually predicted those four before the start of the tournament.

But it’s T20 cricket; it’s a funny game. If one or two players have a good day, the game is theirs. It’s just going to come down to who turns up on the day, who prepares well, who plans well, and who stays the calmest under pressure.

I might be a bit biased, but I do think England have a very good chance because they haven’t played their best cricket yet, and that’s still to come. But anything can happen against India. What an achievement it would be for any team to beat them. They probably hadn’t played their best cricket until recently against Zimbabwe, so it’s going to be pretty interesting.

South Africa have been unreal throughout the tournament. Even the West Indies could sneak in as well. It’s going to be really exciting, and this is what it’s all about — entertaining the crowd and all of us watching at home. I personally love T20 cricket, and I’ve been watching a lot of this World Cup. It’s been amazing to watch.

Even the associate teams have been impressive. Zimbabwe were good, Scotland played really well against England, and Nepal were outstanding. It’s great for teams like that. I’d never really watched Nepal before, and I was so impressed with how they approached the World Cup. Italy also played some outstanding cricket. It’s amazing to see these teams challenging some of the best sides in the world.

Among current Indian batters, whose batting style do you love the most and why?

I’m a big fan of Abhishek Sharma. I think he’s struggled in this World Cup, apart from yesterday when he got his fifty. But I just love his intent and the way he goes out there and hits the ball. From ball one, he doesn’t waste any time. You just know he’s going to go out there and try to hit boundaries straight away.

He’s been given a role at the top of the order, which is one of the hardest places to bat but also one of the best, because you’ve only got two fielders out. As an opening batter, your role is to be brave and show intent, and that’s exactly what he does.

If it doesn’t come off, it doesn’t matter. He’ll go again and try again. He’s a match-winner. Ever since he came onto the scene in the IPL, I’ve thought he has a brilliant technique. He stands tall, stays calm, backs his strengths, and he’s just so brave.

Top Batting performance of the match – Dasun Shanaka

Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka almost scripted one of the greatest chases in T20 World Cup history with an unbeaten 76 off just 31 balls. Walking in with the game slipping away, Shanaka turned it into a thriller with his batting. When Sri Lanka needed 46 from two overs, he tore into the bowling, smashing two sixes in an 18-run over to keep hopes alive. The final over, bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, began with 28 required. Shanaka miscued a boundary before hitting three sixes over extra cover, deep square leg, and covers, dragging the equation down to six off two balls. With momentum on his side, Sri Lanka looked the favourites. But a wide yorker denied his attempted scoop, and the final ball, another full delivery outside off, wasn’t given wide. Shanaka left it, expecting the call, but it never came. Sri Lanka fell short by five runs, and his heroic knock ended in heartbreak.

Top Bowling performance of the match – Abrar Ahmed

With the ball, the man who dragged Pakistan back into the contest was Abrar Ahmed. Just when Sri Lanka seemed to be cruising towards the 148-run mark that would end Pakistan’s hopes, Abrar produced a brilliant spell. He struck with his very first delivery, skidding one back into castle Kamil Mishara, who had been looking dangerous. Abrar then outfoxed Charith Asalanka with a slower, tossed-up delivery that spun back to knock over off stump as the batter missed a wild slog. His last dismissal, Kamindu Mendis gripped, stayed low, and arrived so slowly that the batter was through his shot far too early. Finishing with outstanding figures of 3 for 23 in four overs, Abrar kept Pakistan’s semi-final dreams flickering, striking whenever the game threatened to slip away.

Records Broken and Major Milestones Achieved

• Usman Tariq went wicket-less for the first time in 27 T20 innings and conceded a career-most 43 runs.
• Sri Lanka scored 27 runs off 10 sweep attempts against spin at a strike rate of 270.
• Abrar Ahmed became the joint third-fastest Pakistani to 50 T20I wickets (38 matches).
• Pakistan attacked 78.8% of deliveries, their fifth-highest intent rate in this T20 World Cup.
• Sahibzada Farhan registered his second T20 World Cup hundred, becoming the first batter to score two in a single edition.
• Farhan broke Virat Kohli’s record (319) for most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition (323*).
• Farhan now holds the record for most sixes (18) in a T20 World Cup edition.
• Pakistan’s 212/8 is their second-highest total in T20Is and highest in T20 World Cups.
• The 176-run stand between Farhan and Fakhar Zaman is the highest partnership in T20 World Cup history.
• 176 is also Pakistan’s highest-ever T20 World Cup partnership and third-highest in all T20Is.
• Pakistan recorded their highest opening partnership in the T20 World Cups (176).
• 64/0 vs Sri Lanka is Pakistan’s joint fourth-highest Powerplay total in T20 WCs.
• Farhan equalled the record for most 50+ scores (4) in a single T20 WC edition.
• Farhan became only the second player after Chris Gayle to score two T20 WC hundreds.

Who was the Player of the Match?

Sahibzada Farhan was named Player of the Match for his magnificent century that powered Pakistan to 212 against Sri Lanka. On a night loaded with pressure, Farhan delivered a knock of rare authority, smashing 100 off 60 balls and setting the tone from the very start. He not only anchored the innings but also rewrote history. Farhan went past Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in a single T20 World Cup edition, becoming the tournament’s highest-ever run-scorer in one campaign. His consistency has been remarkable, two fifties and two hundreds, all scored at a strike rate above 158.

What is the next match?

Top Batting performance of the match – Tom Banton

England’s Tom Banton made sure to hold on to one end after the team lost a few quick wickets at the top. The right-handed batter in his 24-ball stay smashed three boundaries and a six, playing at a strike rate of 137.50. He stitched a crucial stand with Sam Curran to pull things back for England.

Top Bowling performance of the match – Will Jacks

Right-arm spinner Will Jacks was the wrecker-in-chief with the ball as he finished with figures of 2/23 in four overs. His two victims included Finn Allen and Glenn Philips. His part-time off-spin was instrumental in England’s win as they put early pressure on the BlackCaps early in the game.

Records Broken and Major Milestones Achieved

• Jos Buttler set an unwanted record by registering his 10th T20I duck, the most by an England batter, surpassing Luke Wright’s tally of nine.
• Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed stitched a 44-run stand, now England’s highest seventh-wicket partnership in a Men’s T20 World Cup, breaking the previous 35-run record shared by Jamie Overton and Jacks.
• England’s spinners claimed seven wickets, their joint-most in a single T20 World Cup match.
• The 16 overs of spin bowled by England marked the most they have delivered in a T20I innings.
• It was also the highest number of spin overs England have bowled in a T20 World Cup fixture.
• England’s spinners generated nearly the same average turn at the venue as New Zealand’s slower bowlers managed against Sri Lanka in the previous game.
• For the first time in seven matches, England failed to take a wicket inside the Powerplay, while conceding four sixes, their most in that phase in this World Cup.
• This was only the second occasion in the tournament that both New Zealand openers survived the Powerplay, the other being their 10-wicket win over the UAE.
• Jofra Archer conceded 16 runs in a single Powerplay over, the most he has given away in that phase in this World Cup.
• Archer also conceded his first six in the Powerplay in the tournament during this clash.

Who was the Player of the Match?

England all-rounder Will Jacks received the Player of the Match honours for his sublime performance with both bat and ball. Earlier with the ball, he bagged a two-wicket haul and conceded just 23 runs. Later, he played a sublime match-winning 32* off 18, to take his team over the line.

What is the next match?