Michael Vaughan brutally trolls South Africa as 'Stupidest team in T20 World Cup 2026'

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has brutally trolled South Africa following the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which concluded on March 8. The cricketer-turned-commentator labeled the strong Proteas squad as the stupidest team in the tournament, adding that they failed to knock out the Indian side.

South Africa reached the knockout stages undefeated in the group stage and Super 8s. However, the Proteas suffered a humiliating defeat against New Zealand in the semi-final. The Kiwis, led by Mitchell Santner, beat them by nine wickets in the match at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on March 4.

South Africa Were The Stupidest Team Of The Tournament - Michael Vaughan

In a video shared on The Overlap Cricket YouTube channel, Michael Vaughan said that South Africa missed a golden opportunity to eliminate the Indian side early. Vaughan stated that the Proteas should have intentionally lost their match against the West Indies to stop the Indian side.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

"I think South Africa were the stupidest team of the tournament. Because if South Africa had allowed the West Indies to beat them in the Super 8s, India would have been knocked out. I'm just saying—if they had cleared them out, the juggernaut that was coming would have stopped," Michael Vaughan said.

The Best Way Is To Eliminate The Best Team Early - Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan said that South Africa’s win against the West Indies helped India reach the semi-final. He also pointed out that South Africa’s next fixture was against Zimbabwe. Vaughan added that removing the strongest opponents early can sometimes be the smartest way to win a World Cup.

"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 opined.

"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," he added.

India Beat West Indies In Super 8 Thriller; New Zealand Defeated South Africa In Semifinal

The Indian team secured a thrilling five-wicket win over the West Indies in the must-win Super 8 clash. Sanju Samson played an unbelievable unbeaten knock of 97 runs to help the team chase down the massive 196-run target with four balls remaining. Meanwhile, South Africa defeated Zimbabwe in a dead rubber.

In the semi-final, Marco Jansen scored a half-century to help South Africa post a total of 169/8. Matt Henry, Cole McConchie, and Rachin Ravindra scalped two crucial wickets each. In response, openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert put on a blistering partnership.

The opening duo added a massive 117-run stand in just 9.1 overs. Finn Allen smashed a sensational 33-ball century, taking his side over the finishing line in just 12.5 overs. However, the Black Caps lost the final against India, where they were bowled out for 159 runs while chasing 255.

Also read: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka series gets new dates after cancellation due to West Asia war