Sanju Samson outshines Jacob Bethell century as India beat England to reach T20 World Cup 2026 final

India won a thrilling seven-run game against England in the second semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday at the famous Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Men in Blue need just one more win to become the first team to win the T20 World Cup twice and defend it. India will face New Zealand in the final on March 8 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Sanju Samson powers India to 253/7

Sanju Samson once again delivered a match-defining knock, scoring a brilliant 89 off 42 balls. He smashed eight fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 211.90. This was his second successive fifty-plus score in the tournament after his unbeaten 97 against West Indies. Samson anchored the innings with aggressive stroke play, dominating the England bowlers and helping India post a strong total.

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Read: Sanju Samson misses century but destroys Yuvraj & Rohit records, equals Virat Kohli in T20 WC 2026 semi-final

A lifeline at 15 proves costly for England

Sanju Samson got a big reprieve when he was 15. Jofra Archer bowled a delivery that Harry Brook dropped as an effortless catch. Sanju made full use of the light and launched into a destructive batting display.

Abhishek Sharma falls early

Abhishek Sharma’s poor form continued as he scored just 9 runs off 7 balls before getting out in the second over. Ishan Kishan played a quickfire 39 off 18 balls and shared a crucial 97-run partnership with Samson for the second wicket. Shivam Dube added a brisk 43 off 25 balls for the third wicket. Late cameos from Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off 7) helped India surge past 250.

Read: IND vs ENG: Ignored Samson’s advice! Abhishek Sharma’s struggles continue in T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final

England’s chase falters despite Bethell’s century

Chasing 254 runs, England lost early wickets as Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy, who are all key bowlers in cricket, struck in the powerplay. They reached 68/3 after six overs, but they kept fighting. Jacob Bethell played a brilliant century-the third fastest for England-and shared key partnerships with Jos Buttler, Tom Banton, Will Jacks, and Sam Curran. However, Pandya dismissed Curran in the penultimate over, and a brilliant fielding effort by Shivam Dube got Bethell out on the first ball of the final over. England finished at 246/7, falling short by 7 runs.

Hardik and Bumrah seal it in death overs

Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah bowled clutch overs in the death, restricting England to 30 needed off the last over. Dube bowled the final over, and Bethell’s dismissal on the first ball ended England’s hopes.

India march into Final

The Harry Brook-led side fell short by seven runs as India marched into the final for the second consecutive time. New Zealand awaits them in Ahmedabad, and India is now one step away from history.