Who: India vs England
Content: ICC Men’s 2026 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals
Location: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India
Date and time: Thursday, March 5th, 7pm (13:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live coverage begins at 10:00 GMT.
India and England, who are chasing a record-breaking third T20 World Cup title, will meet in the second semi-final of the tournament on Thursday.
India also defeated the hosts Voodoo, with the defending champions successfully defending their title, but England will be hoping the pressure of playing in front of a cricket-crazy home crowd will help halt their opponents’ march at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
The venue that celebrated India’s 50-over World Cup victory in 2011 is expected to be a sea of blue shirts, but Harry Brook’s side will relish the chance to silence India with a win.
What are India’s strengths and weaknesses?
Super Samson, reliable Bumrah and 12th man
The holders started the tournament as favorites, but were unconvincing in the group stages. However, they performed better in the Super Eights with wins over Zimbabwe and West Indies.
Sanju Samson added muscle and balance to the top of the order, breaking the all-left-handed combination of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan and disrupting the opponent’s bowling rhythm.
Jasprit Bumrah once again proved himself to be one of the best pacemen, while Varun Chakravarthy, the top-ranked T20 bowler with 12 casualties, will lead the spin attack.
With 35,000 people at Wankhede Stadium, the home cheer may be like having a 12th player on the field.
unstable batting
Abhishek entered the tournament as the world’s number one T20 batsman but then suffered three consecutive ducks.
He showed glimpses of his talent with a score of 50 against Zimbabwe, but he dropped to 10 against the West Indies, meaning England will be targeting him for early wickets.
What are England’s strengths and weaknesses?
England narrowly won the group stage, winning a thrilling last-ball battle with Nepal, but regained momentum to advance to the Super Eights with wins over co-hosts Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand.
Brooke’s leadership, Jax’s all-around show
Brooke moved up to number three against Pakistan and showed leadership by scoring the winning century. He is developing into a shrewd tactician in his first World Cup as captain.
All-rounder Will Jacks, who has already won the Player of the Match award four times in seven games, is a destructive force with the bat. Jofra Archer lost badly in his first two matches but is back to his best.
Butler in bad shape
Opening pitcher Jos Buttler has been in a slump, conceding 62 runs in seven games. He hasn’t made a fifty in a T20 since September last year and appears to lack confidence, but England are unlikely to dump their former captain.
What was India’s best performance in the T20 World Cup?
Winner: 2007, 2024
What was England’s best result in the T20 World Cup?
Winner: 2010, 2022
What happened the last time India and England met in a T20 International?
The two teams engaged in a heated five-match T20 series in India in early 2025, with the hosts winning 4-1.
In the last match, India posted a staggering 247-9 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Form Guide: India
India were favorites to win, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. South Africa’s defeat in the Super Eights was by no means a shock, but their 100 per cent record in the group stages was not the walk in the park it might seem. Nevertheless, a win against West Indies to secure a place in the semi-finals will fill the team and the fans with confidence that they are at the peak of their form at the right time.
Last 5 matches (latest results first): WWWWW
Form Guide: England
England’s road to the semi-finals was similarly tough, and their start to the tournament with a narrow victory over Nepal almost produced one of the biggest shocks in the history of the sport.
A loss to West Indies in the next match further dampened hopes, but Brook’s side seem to have found their groove since then.
Last 5 matches (latest results first): WWWWW
India vs England: Head-to-head
This is the 30th time the two teams have faced each other in a T20 international tournament, with India winning 17 matches and England winning 12 matches.
Team News: India
India are likely to stick with the same eleven that took them to the semi-finals.
Predict India XI
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy
Team News: England
England may bring back Jamie Overton to replace Rehan Ahmed, despite the spinner bowling and batting well against New Zealand.
Predicting England’s 11th place
Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Harry Brooks (captain), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton/Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer.
How can I follow and stream India vs England semi-final?
Al Jazeera Sports will provide comprehensive live coverage of the final. Our preparations begin at 10:00 GMT, followed by photo coverage and a text commentary stream.
