The verbal volleys ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage have intensified as former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir delivered a series of blunt critiques aimed at the Indian camp. After previously labeling opener Abhishek Sharma a “slogger” with no technical depth, Amir has doubled down by predicting that the defending champions will fail to qualify for the semi-finals entirely.
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AMIR PREDICTS INDIA WON’T MAKE INTO WC SEMIS.
Mohammad Amir says India won’t qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.
– First it was Slogger Abhishek Sharma, now it is India. it’s really done for India. pic.twitter.com/MqyZ3Tgwil
— Salman. (@TsMeSalman) February 19, 2026
Why Amir Thinks India Won’t Qualify For Semis
Despite India entering the Super 8s with an unbeaten record, Amir believes the “pressure cooker” environment of the next round will expose a fragile batting order. Speaking on the popular show ‘Haarna Mana Hai’, the left-arm pacer shocked viewers by omitting India from his top two spots in Group 1.
“If you see their matches, except for the Pakistan fixture, their batting is collapsing,” Amir remarked on Geo News. He argued that while India navigated the group stages, their top order looked vulnerable under testing conditions. “The way South Africa and the West Indies are playing, they can beat any team,” he added, specifically citing the balanced attacks of the Proteas and the explosive advantage of the Windies as the decisive factors that will push India out of the top four.
“International Cricket Will Expose You”
Amir’s skepticism toward India’s batting began much earlier in the tournament when he launched a technical assault on young batter Abhishek Sharma. The 24-year-old, who has struggled significantly with three consecutive ducks in the tournament, was described by Amir as a one-dimensional player who lacks the patience required for the biggest stage.
“By whatever little I have seen, if you ask me honestly, I feel he is just a slogger. He has to go hard at every ball. The day he gets going, it’s fine; otherwise, his chances of failure are high,” Amir told the ‘Haarna Mana Hai’ panel. He further explained that bowlers like Aryan Dutt and Salman Agha have already identified Abhishek’s weakness against the moving ball and deliveries on the third-stump line. “At the bigger stages, or in ODIs, you cannot slog every ball in pressure cricket. International cricket will expose you,” Amir warned.
India’s Super 8 Reality Check
While Indian fans and former players like Harbhajan Singh have jumped to Abhishek’s defense, calling him a “proper batter” who simply plays a high-risk game, the data provides a sobering view of India’s current form. The top order has indeed appeared shaky, relying heavily on the middle-order stability provided by Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya to navigate collapses.
India will have the immediate opportunity to prove Amir wrong as they begin their Super 8 campaign against South Africa on February 22 in Ahmedabad. This will be followed by a clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26, before a final high-stakes showdown against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens on March 1.
