India defeated England by seven runs in a high-scoring semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday to secure a place in the final for the second consecutive edition.
Batting first after being asked to take strike, India posted a formidable total of 253 for 4, the highest total recorded in a knockout match of the tournament.
Sanju Samson led the charge with 89 runs, striking eight fours and seven sixes. He received support from Shivam Dube, who scored 43 off 25 balls, and Ishan Kishan, who made 39 from just 18 deliveries.
Late contributions from Tilak Varma (21 off 7 balls) and Hardik Pandya (27 off 12 balls) accelerated the innings further, pushing India past the 250 mark.
For England, Will Jacks and Adil Rashid claimed two wickets each, while Jofra Archer picked up the wicket of Varma.
Chasing the steep target, England stayed in contention largely due to Jacob Bethell, who scored his maiden T20I century. Despite the effort, England fell short by seven runs.
The match produced a combined total of 499 runs, the second-highest aggregate in men’s T20 internationals. The only higher total remains the 517 runs scored in a match between South Africa and West Indies in 2023.
The contest also set a new record for the most sixes in a T20 World Cup match, with 34 sixes struck. In total, 73 boundaries were hit, including 39 fours and 34 sixes, another tournament record.
India will now face New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
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