The iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed a spectacle of high-octane cricket on Thursday, March 5, 2026, as India defeated England by 7 runs in a heart-stopping second semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In a rematch of the 2022 and 2024 knockout encounters, the “Men in Blue” finally exorcised their past demons, defending a colossal total against a defiant English side led by a heroic century from 22-year-old Jacob Bethell.
The Samson Storm: India’s Record-Breaking Total
After England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to field, India’s batting order delivered a masterclass in power-hitting. Sanju Samson, the man of the hour, played a breathtaking innings of 89 off just 42 balls. Smashing seven sixes and eight fours, Samson dismantled the English attack with surgical precision, missing out on a century but providing the perfect platform for a record-breaking score.
Samson found aggressive support from Ishan Kishan, who blazed a quickfire 39 off 18 balls, and Shivam Dube, who contributed a destructive 43 off 25 deliveries. Late-inning cameos from Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off 7) propelled India to a staggering 253/7 in 20 overs—the highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup knockout match. Despite the carnage, Will Jacks (2/40) and Adil Rashid (2/41) were the only bowlers to find minor success for England.
The Bethell Counter-Attack: England’s Valiant Chase
Chasing a mountain of 254 runs, England’s pursuit began disastrously. Jasprit Bumrah struck with his very first ball, dismissing England skipper Harry Brook for a duck, courtesy of a sensational 20-yard running catch by Axar Patel. When Jos Buttler fell for 25 to a Varun Chakravarthy googly, England were reeling at 68/3 within the powerplay.
However, the game shifted dramatically with the emergence of Jacob Bethell. The young left-hander played the innings of his life, smashing the third-fastest T20 century for England off just 45 balls. Bethell targeted the Indian spinners relentlessly, at one point hitting Varun Chakravarthy for a hat-trick of sixes. Alongside Will Jacks (35), Bethell forged a 77-run partnership that kept the chase alive well into the final overs, silencing the 33,000-strong Mumbai crowd.
Death-Over Drama: The Final Stand
With England needing 69 runs from the final 30 balls, India’s veterans stepped up. Jasprit Bumrah returned for a masterclass in death bowling, conceding only 6 and 8 runs in his final two overs to finish with figures of 1/33. Despite the mounting pressure, Bethell continued to find the boundary, bringing the equation down to 30 runs needed from the final over.
In a calculated gamble, Suryakumar Yadav handed the final over to Shivam Dube. The tension peaked on the very first ball when Bethell, attempting to scramble back for a second run to keep the strike, was run out for 105 by a pinpoint throw from Hardik Pandya at the striker’s end. While Jofra Archer smashed two late sixes, they proved to be mere consolation as England finished on 246/7, falling just 7 runs short.
Onward to Ahmedabad
This victory marks India’s return to a T20 World Cup final for the first time since 2024, ending a streak of semifinal heartbreaks against England. India will now head to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to face New Zealand in the grand final on Sunday. For the “Men in Blue,” the dream of a world title on home soil is now just one step away.
