‘South Africa the stupidest team of the T20 World Cup’: Michael Vaughan says Proteas kept India alive by beating West Indies

SURYAKUMAR YADAV EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW TO THE INDIAN EXPRESS AFTER WINNING T20 WORLD CUP 2026

“By winning that game, they allowed the juggernaut to go on. India then beat Zimbabwe, then the West Indies in a kind of quarterfinal, and then England. South Africa had to play Zimbabwe next, and they even rested three players for that match,” Vaughan said on the ‘Stick to Cricket’ podcast.

The 51-year-old said that one way of preventing the best team in the tournament from winning the T20 World Cup was by knocking them out, and South Africa beating the West Indies kept India alive in the competition.

“Look, these things shouldn’t happen and usually don’t happen. I’m just saying that if you want to win a World Cup, the best way is to eliminate the best team early,” Vaughan added.

India’s win over Zimbabwe made the contest against the West Indies a virtual quarter-final, and led by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97, the co-hosts won by five wickets to enter the semi-final and knock the West Indies out of the tournament.

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