Mumbai: India booked their place in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after defeating England by seven runs in a high-scoring semifinal thriller at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday. In a match packed with power-hitting and dramatic momentum swings, India held their nerve to defend a massive total and set up a title clash with New Zealand.
Batting first after England opted to bowl, India piled up a formidable 253 for 7 in 20 overs, powered by a blazing knock from Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 89 off just 42 balls, striking eight fours and seven sixes, to anchor India’s innings. Ishan Kishan provided early momentum with a brisk 39 from 18 balls, while Shivam Dube added a valuable 43 as India maintained an aggressive scoring rate throughout the innings.
England faced a daunting target of 254 but responded with remarkable intent. Young batter Jacob Bethell produced a sensational counterattack, scoring a stunning century to keep England in the hunt. Bethell blasted 105 off 48 deliveries, launching an array of boundaries and sixes as he single-handedly carried the chase deep into the contest.
Despite Bethell’s heroics, India’s bowlers managed to apply pressure in the crucial stages. Jasprit Bumrah delivered key overs at the death, while disciplined bowling from the supporting attack prevented England from closing the gap in the final moments of the match.
England eventually finished on 246 for 7 in their 20 overs, falling just short in a contest that produced a remarkable 499 runs across 40 overs and delighted the Mumbai crowd with relentless big hitting.
With the victory, India advance to the tournament final where they will face New Zealand, who earlier defeated South Africa in the first semifinal. The win also continued India’s strong momentum in the tournament, with Samson emerging as one of the standout performers in the knockout stages.
Sanju Samson was declared the most valuable player for his brillant knock. India captain Suryakumar Yadav praised the team’s composure and credited Samson’s knock as the turning point of the contest. “Unbelievable feeling. Playing in India and leading this side is special. Samson knew exactly what the team required when he went in, and he delivered,” he said after the match.
He also highlighted the bowling unit’s performance under pressure. “They were always in the chase, but the way our bowlers pulled the game away was unbelievable. You know how capable Bumrah is in those moments,” Suryakumar said, adding that India’s improved fielding standards were also a key factor.
England captain Harry Brook admitted that fielding lapses proved costly, particularly a dropped chance that gave Samson a lifeline early in his innings. “I’ll hold my hands up and admit I made a big mistake dropping Samson. Against a team like India you can’t afford those errors,” Brook said.
Despite the defeat, Brook praised Bethell’s remarkable innings. “Bethell was absolutely unbelievable. To see him taking it on from ball one showed the world what he can do,” he said, adding that England could still take pride in their overall campaign.
Brief Scores: India 253/7 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Shivam Dube 43; Will Jacks 2/40) beat England 246/7 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 105, Will Jacks 35; Hardik Pandya 2/38, Jasprit Bumrah 1/33) by 7 runs
