IND vs ENG: History was written in bold gold letters at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, March 5 as India became the first team in the history of the T20 World Cup to breach the 250-run mark twice in a single edition. In a high-stakes semi-final against England, the Men in Blue unleashed an unprecedented batting assault to post a mammoth 253/7, setting a new benchmark for power-hitting in tournament knockouts.
The architect of this historic total was none other than Sanju Samson. Fresh off a match-winning 97* against the West Indies, Samson continued his “dream run” by dismantling the English attack with surgical precision. Despite losing Abhishek Sharma early for 9, Samson refused to let the tempo drop. Alongside Ishan Kishan, he orchestrated a record-breaking 97-run partnership for the second wicket, effectively batting England out of the game within the first ten overs.
Samson’s innings of 89 off just 42 balls was a masterclass in modern T20 batting. He was particularly ruthless against Jofra Archer, smoking the pace spearhead for two towering sixes in the early stages. Even a dropped catch by England skipper Harry Brook on 15 couldn’t slow him down; Samson capitalized on the lifeline to race to his fifty in just 26 balls. By the time he was eventually dismissed by Will Jacks, he had cleared the boundary rope seven times and found the fence on eight occasions, surpassing Rohit Sharma’s record for the most sixes by an Indian in a single T20 World Cup edition.
However, the “huge feat” of reaching 253 wasn’t a solo effort. Following the foundation laid by the Samson-Kishan duo, the middle order kept the foot on the gas. Shivam Dube played a vital cameo of 43 off 25 balls, while Hardik Pandya provided the final flourish. Pandya’s explosive 27 off 12 balls, including a towering six off the final over, ensured India crossed the 250-run milestone for the second time in the 2026 tournament—having previously smashed 256/4 against Zimbabwe.
With this total, India have not only broken the 19-year-old knockout record previously held by Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa but has also handed England the daunting task of pulling off the highest-ever chase in T20 World Cup history. As the Wankhede crowd erupted in joy, one thing became certain: this Indian batting lineup has redefined the limits of the shortest format on the world stage.
