IND vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026: Jacob Bethell’s Hundred In Vain As India Beat England To Qualify For Final

IND vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026: The Wankhede Stadium witnessed one of the most explosive chapters in T20 World Cup history as India secured a narrow 7-run victory over England in a record-breaking semi-final. In a game where the bat reigned supreme, the defending champions held their nerve to post a mammoth 253/7—the highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup knockout—and successfully defended it against a spirited English chase.

India’s historic night was spearheaded by a vintage performance from Sanju Samson. Entering the fray after the early dismissal of Abhishek Sharma (9), Samson played an innings for the ages, smashing 89 off just 42 balls. His knock, which included eight boundaries and seven towering sixes, provided the backbone for the Indian total. He found an able partner in Ishan Kishan, who contributed a quickfire 39 off 18 balls, as the duo stitched together a 97-run stand for the second wicket. Despite being dropped on 15 by England skipper Harry Brook, Samson capitalized on the life-line to equal Virat Kohli’s 2016 record for the highest score by an Indian in a T20WC knockout match.

However, the target of 254 did not deter a fearless England side. Young sensation Jacob Bethell produced a masterclass under pressure, smashing a sensational 105 off just 48 deliveries. Bethell’s maiden T20I century, featuring eight fours and seven sixes, kept the visitors in the hunt until the very last over. At one stage, England looked poised for a historic heist, with Bethell reaching his fifty in just 19 balls—the joint-fastest in tournament knockout history.

The game turned in the final over when Shivam Dube’s bowling executed a crucial run-out to dismiss Bethell just as the momentum was swinging toward the visitors. Despite Jofra Archer’s late-over heroics with three sixes, England finished on 246/7. Jasprit Bumrah was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of 1/33 in a match where most bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs.

With this hard-fought victory, India has qualified for its second successive T20 World Cup final. They are now set to face New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8, as they look to become the first team in history to win three T20 World Cup titles.