Kaif Slams India's T20 Bowling: 'Cannot Win World Cup'

The Cliff News | 15 October 2026

Former India batter Mohammed Kaif has delivered a scathing assessment of the current Indian T20 International bowling unit, asserting that the team's combination is insufficient to win the World Cup. His remarks come in the wake of India's significant 24-run loss to the West Indies in the fourth T20I played in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The West Indies, powered by another century from captain Shai Hope, posted a formidable total of 247 runs. India's chase ultimately fell short, leading to a defeat that leveled the five-match series at 2-2.

Bowlers Under Fire

Kaif did not hold back his criticism, attributing the loss directly to the bowling department. "The truth here as to why the Indian team lost is because of their bowling. The blame should go to them," Kaif stated on Cricbuzz. He highlighted the high scores conceded by key bowlers, noting that Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh together leaked 104 runs in eight overs, while Axar Patel gave away 45 runs in four overs.

"You will never win the World Cup with this combination," Kaif emphatically declared, emphasizing that the bowlers are failing to secure victories, a stark contrast to the typical performance where bowlers contribute to wins in a series. Prince Yadav was mentioned as the most economical bowler with figures of 1 for 36.

Captain's Concerns

Following the match, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged the team's shortcomings in their bowling execution. "It all started with bowling. I think we didn’t execute our line lengths well," Iyer commented during the post-match presentation. He added that chasing a target of nearly 250 requires a specific approach, but the foundation of the chase was hampered by the inability to execute bowling plans effectively.

The series is now poised for a decisive conclusion in the final T20I, scheduled to be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.