The India vs England T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final ended in dramatic fashion as India secured a hard-fought seven-run victory to book their place in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.
Powered by a blazing knock from Sanju Samson and a disciplined bowling performance, India held their nerve despite a superb century from England’s Jacob Bethell.
India will now face New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Samson powers India to 253
Batting first, India posted an imposing 253/7 in 20 overs.
The innings did not begin perfectly as opener Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for nine by Will Jacks in the second over with the score at 20.
However, India quickly regained control through Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson, who stitched together a rapid 97-run partnership for the second wicket off just 44 deliveries.
Kishan played an important supporting role with 39 from 18 balls before being dismissed by Adil Rashid.
Samson continued the charge and later shared 43 runs for the third wicket with Shivam Dube. The aggressive opener eventually departed in the 14th over after smashing 89 off 42 deliveries, including seven sixes and eight fours, a performance that earned him the Player of the Match award.
India lost captain Suryakumar Yadav for 11 off six balls, stumped by Rashid, leaving the hosts at 190/4 in 15.4 overs.
Dube and Hardik Pandya added 32 runs for the fifth wicket before Dube was run out following a direct hit from England captain Harry Brook. Dube contributed 43 from 25 balls, striking four sixes and a four.
Pandya and Tilak Varma then provided a late surge with quick cameos of 27 and 21, sharing a 24-run partnership to take India to 253/7.
For England, Will Jacks and Adil Rashid claimed two wickets each, while Jofra Archer picked up one.
Bethell century kept England alive
Chasing 254 for victory, England mounted a strong challenge but ultimately finished on 246/7 in 20 overs.
The chase started poorly as England lost Phil Salt (5) and captain Harry Brook (7) within the first five overs with just 38 runs on the board.
Jacob Bethell then entered at No.4 and began rebuilding the innings. He first added 26 runs for the third wicket with Jos Buttler, who scored 25 from 17 balls before being dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy.
England slipped further when Axar Patel bowled Tom Banton for 17, leaving them 95/4.
Bethell found support from Will Jacks, and the pair put together a crucial 77-run partnership from 39 deliveries for the fifth wicket.
Jacks contributed 35 from 20 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes, before his dismissal in the 14th over.
Bethell continued his remarkable innings and later shared a 50-run partnership with Sam Curran, who scored 18 from 14 balls before falling to Hardik Pandya in the penultimate over.
The England batter eventually departed on the first ball of the final over, run out after a heroic 105 from 48 deliveries, which included eight fours and seven sixes.
India bowlers held their nerves
Despite Bethell’s century, India’s bowlers managed to defend the target.
Hardik Pandya led the attack with figures of 2/38 in four overs, while Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah each took one wicket.
India’s seven-run victory sends them into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final, where they will meet New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
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Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/matches
