Sanju Samson’s explosive 89 and a dramatic late fightback from Jacob Bethell headlined a remarkable T20 World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 05 March 2026, as India held their nerve to beat England by seven runs and book a place in the final.
India piled up a staggering 253, equalling the joint-highest number of sixes in a T20 World Cup innings with 19. Hardik Pandya’s late blows, including two sixes in the final over of the innings, lifted the total beyond England’s immediate reach and gave India a score that looked imposing even by modern standards. Notably, there had been no successful defences in day-night knockout matches at the T20 World Cup since 2014, but 253 was as strong a statement as any for a side attempting to change that trend.
Samson set the tone with a breathtaking 89 off 42 balls. Dropped on 15 by Harry Brook, he punished England’s error ruthlessly, striking 74 runs off his next 35 deliveries. He attacked Jofra Archer in particular, contributing to the seamer conceding seven sixes, the joint-most in a T20 World Cup match and finishing with figures of 4-0-61-1. India raced to 67 for 1 in the powerplay and were 160 for 3 shortly after the halfway mark when Will Jacks eventually dismissed Samson.
Ishan Kishan added 39 off 18, while Shivam Dube struck 43 off 25 before being run out. Tilak Varma capitalised in the closing overs, and Pandya’s late acceleration ensured India crossed the 250 mark. In total, 34 sixes were hit in the match the most in any T20 World Cup fixture.
England’s chase began briskly but was soon jolted when Pandya removed Phil Salt with the first ball of his spell. At the time of writing early in the innings, England were 8 for 2 after two overs, and although they recovered, wickets fell at key moments. Jos Buttler made 25, while Will Jacks provided impetus with 35 off 20.
The chase, however, was transformed by Bethell. The left-hander launched a stunning counterattack, bringing up the fastest World Cup half-century for England off just 19 balls and eventually reaching a superb century from 45 deliveries. He took apart Varun Chakravarthy and targeted the shorter boundary with fearless strokeplay, briefly dragging England back into contention despite the escalating required rate.
Jasprit Bumrah’s control at the death proved decisive. His yorkers and low full tosses left England needing 39 from the final two overs. Pandya followed with a crucial penultimate over that pushed the equation to 30 from the last six balls. Bethell, attempting to retain the strike, was run out going for a second run off the first ball of the final over, effectively ending the contest with 29 still required. Archer struck three sixes at the close, but the outcome was already settled as England finished on 246, falling short by seven runs.
England had earlier chosen to bowl first, mindful that the highest successful chase in a T20 World Cup had been 230. This time, however, the target was 24 runs higher and against a relentless Indian attack. India’s 19 sixes, Archer’s expensive spell, Bethell’s extraordinary hundred and a match aggregate of 34 sixes combined to produce one of the most memorable semi-finals in the tournament’s history.
