In the second semi-final of the 2026 T20 World Cup cricket, India’s Sanju Samson scored 89 runs to defeat England by 7 runs with 253 wins and 6 losses.
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Published March 5, 2026
Defending champions India defeated England by seven runs in the semi-final in Mumbai in one of the greatest T20 World Cup matches of all time.
Sanju Samson’s performance seemed to put the tournament co-hosts in an almost unassailable position on Thursday with a total of 253 wins and 6 losses, but Jacob Bethell’s performance put England on the brink of a historic chase.
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England were on the verge of a crushing defeat at the Wankhede Stadium after winning 64-3 in the powerplay.
However, Tom Bunton’s cameo of 17 off 5 balls started the chase, and Will Jacks’ 35 off 20 at bats matched Bethel for a 77 in 6.3 overs.
When the latter fell on 105 off 48 balls and ran out of steam in the final over, the match was decided, with England finishing on 246-7 and India qualifying for the final.
Suryakumar Yadav’s side will be looking to win a record third T20 World Cup title when they take on New Zealand on Sunday.
England decided to take part after winning the toss, but Samson’s brilliant success of 89 off 42 balls set the stage for India to score a large number of runs.
The in-form opener, who had made 97 not out in the previous game against the West Indies, thrilled the raucous home crowd with seven sixes and eight fours.
The hosts attacked England’s attack from every corner of the field, hitting 19 sixes and 18 fours. That meant Harry Brook’s side needed to chase a T20 World Cup record 254 points to reach the final.
Samson showed his intent with four and six from Jofra Archer’s first over after Brook won the toss and decided to bowl.
Jacks won the second over and Abhishek Sharma (9) lifted the off-spinner to Phil Salt at deep midwicket to give England a blow.
At number 15, Samson was given life when Brook dropped an easy chance at mid-off off Archer.
Aided by some undisciplined bowling, Samson completed 26 balls for the first time in his half-century and hit another huge six, which turned out to be a costly mistake as Liam Dawson’s first over was smashed for 19 runs.
Ishan Kishan, along with Samson, made 97 off 48 balls for the second wicket, with the left-handed Samson holing out to Jacks from Adil Rashid in the 10th over to make it 117-2.
Samson powered up until Jax returned and was caught by Salt in the deep 14th over, but by that point India were 160-3.
Shivam Dube continued his onslaught with four sixes on 43 off 25 balls until he was taken out by a direct hit from Brook.
Hardik Pandya hit 27 off 12 balls in the closing stages and Tilak Varma hit 21 off 7 balls as India crossed the 250-ball mark.
Jacks was picked by England’s bowlers for 2-40, but the mercurial Archer was taken for 1-61 from his four overs.
New Zealand defeated South Africa with a comprehensive win on Wednesday and await Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad.
