India secured their place in the finals of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after defeating England Defeat by 7 runs in a thrilling second semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. In what proved to be one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament, India posted a mammoth score of 253/7 and restricted England to 246/7 despite his brilliant century. jacob bethel. wicketkeeper-batsman sanju samson Played a explosive innings and was chosen player of the match.
Sanju Samson is leading India’s batting
After losing the toss and being invited to bat first, India came out with aggressive intentions and immediately put pressure on the English bowlers. The innings was opened by Samson, who played one of the best innings of the tournament. The right-handed batsman scored 89 runs in just 42 balls with the help of 8 fours and 7 sixes, destroying the England attack with brilliant strokeplay and fearless hitting.
Abhishek Sharma Provided a brief start by scoring 9 runs from 7 balls, but it was an explosive stand between Samson and Ishan Kishan Which created the atmosphere. Kishan played a strong cameo, scoring 39 runs off 18 balls, which included 4 fours and 2 sixes, which helped India gain momentum during the powerplay.
Although Suryakumar Yadav Only able to score 11 runs from 6 balls, the middle order ensured that the pace never slowed down. Shivam Dubey Another impressive performance, scoring 43 runs in 25 balls with the help of four sixes. hardik pandya Provided late fireworks by scoring 27 runs off just 12 balls.
The final overs proved disastrous for England as Tilak Verma scored 21 runs off just 7 balls, including three sky-scraping sixes, taking India past 250.
Among the bowlers of England, Mohd. will jacks And adil rashid He took two wickets each for 40 and 41 runs respectively, but the rest of the attack struggled against India’s relentless batting. jofra archer Had a tough outing conceding 61 runs in his four overs.
Jacob Bethel’s century keeps England alive
Chasing the challenging target of 254 runs, England needed a good start but lost Phil Salt Quick for 5 runs. jos buttler Attempted to counterattack by scoring 25 runs from 17 balls, but India continued to strike at crucial moments to keep the pressure on.
However, young batsman Bethel played a sensational innings which almost turned the game. Bethel scored a brilliant 105 runs in 48 balls with the help of 8 fours and 7 sixes and fearlessly kept England in check to chase the target.
He was supported by Jacques, who scored 35 runs off 20 balls. tom banton Quickly added 17 runs in 5 balls, due to which the momentum of England changed for some time. Even Archer contributed 19 runs in just 4 balls in the last moments and hit three sixes, taking the match to a tense situation.
Despite the onslaught, India’s bowlers remained composed in the final overs. Pandya performed well with the ball and took 2 wickets for 38 runs. Jasprit Bumrah Gave a disciplined spell of 1 wicket for 33 runs in his four overs.
With England needing big hits in the final overs, India managed to execute their plans under pressure. Crucial wickets at crucial moments ensured the required rate kept rising, and England eventually finished on 246/7, just 7 runs short of a thrilling encounter.
The win sends India into the final of the T20 World Cup 2026, where they will look to lift the trophy after one of the most impressive batting performances of the tournament. Samson’s match-deciding knock proved to be the difference in the end, earning him the Player of the Match award and taking India one step closer to global glory.
See also: T20 World Cup 2026 – Axar Patel takes stunning catch to dismiss Harry Brook in IND vs ENG semi-final
Here’s how fans reacted:
At the end!! @IamSanjuSamson You beautiful!! This is your true potential!! Watching you bat was like watching a monk create a tornado!! ๐ช๏ธ Relax!! one more to go!! ๐ฅ๐พ๐ฅ๐พ
– Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) 5 March 2026
Dubey smiled!
We all smile!
At the end! ๐๐๐๐#whistlepoddu #T20WorldCup
๐ธ: jiohotstar pic.twitter.com/xycS9UxPW0– Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) 5 March 2026
โ Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) 5 March 2026
Jasprit Bumrah is a national treasure. what a boy ๐
โ Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) 5 March 2026
Qualified for semi-finals. England had their moments but when it came down to it, India maintained their composure. Quick catching and Bumrah made all the difference. In the final! ๐๐ป ๐ฎ๐ณ #T20WorldCup2026
– Parthiv Patel (@parthiv9) 5 March 2026
Indiaโฆ Indiaโฆ ๐๐๐ Indiaโฆ Indiaโฆ ๐๐๐๐
What a victory ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ณ
Take a bow Jasprit and Hardik ๐
Akshar’s catch was a game changer#INDvENG #T20WorldCup26โ Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) 5 March 2026
For one reason pic.twitter.com/TTkNkHC39d
โ Delhi Capitals (@delhicapitals) 5 March 2026
Now in the final task. ๐ฌโ
๐๏ธ 8๏ธโฃMarch.
A date with destiny awaits. โญ#playbold #เฎจเฎฎเฎฎเฏRCB #T20WorldCup๏ธ pic.twitter.com/09roaq2yiu– Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) 5 March 2026
hardik clutch pandya ๐ซก
โ Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) 5 March 2026
are marching towards #Last ๐
One step away from#TeamIndia is in #T20WorldCup closing ๐ฅณScorecard โถ๏ธ https://t.co/LxSBs3EDPx#meninblue | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/6BBNkNw2aB
โ BCCI (@BCCI) 5 March 2026
Team India performed brilliantly and defeated England in the T20 World Cup semi-finals and made it to the finals. The team displayed great composure and determination at a crucial juncture.
Sanju Samson’s brilliant batting was particularly noteworthy and contributed significantly to… pic.twitter.com/ec1zDz9vLz
โ Praful Patel (@praful_patel) 5 March 2026
Sanju Samson’s brilliant innings provided India the platform to win against England #T20WorldCup Semifinal๐
he wins @ramco POTM๐
๐: https://t.co/w7G9C2FaMw pic.twitter.com/wyh2KWcJIk
โ ICC (@ICC) 5 March 2026
In a 500-run game, my man of the match is Jasprit Bumrah. Economy of 8.25. That was the difference.
โ Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) 5 March 2026
hello @Michael Vaughan ๐ #INDvENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/rRpoheWK1P
– Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) 5 March 2026
Jasprit Bumrah is great, Sanju Samson is great but don’t dare forget Axar Patel’s efforts against England today.#INDvENG #indiavsengland pic.twitter.com/tzLM7a51NX
– Bruce (@_Bruce__007) 5 March 2026
India is lucky that he could come out of jail, but the world will remember this innings of Jacob Bethel for a long time.
India vs Zeeland Final!#INDvENG #ICCT20WorldCup2026
– Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) 5 March 2026
