All eyes are on the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026, where India will face England in a high-voltage encounter at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. Hours before the India vs England semi-final, there has been a big update on the playing eleven.
There was talk that struggling young Indian opener Abhishek Sharma could be dropped from the knockout match against England after his poor performance in the tournament.
But the latest developments suggest that the Indian cricket team management is likely to stick with the same combination that defeated West Indies in their last Super 8 game in Chennai.
India may support the same winning XI for England semi-finals
As per the Indian Express report, the Men in Blue are expected to go into the semi-finals with an unchanged playing XI. After the thrilling win over West Indies in Kolkata, the team management is happy with the balance of the team and they do not want to spoil the momentum at this time.
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This means that only the same group of players can take the field against England in the semi-final match. The management believes the current combination has performed well under pressure and deserves another chance in the big match, which means there is no threat to Abhishek Sharma’s place.
Dew will play important role in India vs England SF
The India vs England semi-final will be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, where conditions could play a big role. The Indian team closely inspected the pitch for two days before the match to understand how the pitch might behave during the game.
The weather conditions in Mumbai have been extremely hot and humid in the last few days. Because of this, heavy dew is expected during the night match, and this could make the ball slippery and make chasing the target easier for the team batting on Thursday.
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Dew was already visible on the field during England’s practice session on Wednesday evening. If the conditions are similar on the day of the game, the toss could be very important, as both teams may prefer to bowl first and chase in easy batting conditions at the Wankhede Stadium.
Batsman’s strength can also be his weakness on this surface: Morne Morkel
Even India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel expressed concern about the possible impact of dew. “I think dew is always a big concern. But this is one thing you can’t control: the toss. I think there is always extra bounce at Wankhede. People can rely on the bounce and play through the line, which as a bowler can also bring you into the game,” he said in the pre-match press conference.
Morkel said, “I think the margins are very small here. The ball travels; it is a very small ground. So, you just have to fight in every over, be in the moment and compete for every ball. Because, as I said, a batsman’s strength can also be his weakness on this surface. Sometimes it is better not to be too defensive, but to keep attacking, because opportunities can come.”
