Mumbai (IANS): India clinched a thrilling seven-run victory over England in the second semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. This win secures a final showdown against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Men in Blue now stand just one step away from becoming the first team to defend their T20 World Cup crown.
Samson Ignites the Wankhede
Batting first, India posted a massive 253/7, powered by Sanju Samson’s explosive 89 off 42 balls. Samson continued his blistering form, smashing eight fours and seven sixes. He dominated the England attack from the outset, anchoring the innings with aggressive strokeplay.
After Abhishek Sharma fell early for nine, Samson stitched together a crucial 97-run partnership with Ishan Kishan, who contributed a quickfire 39 off 18 balls. Samson then added another 43 runs with Shivam Dube (43 off 25). Samson reached his half-century in just 26 balls—his second successive fifty—before Phil Salt caught him off Will Jacks’ bowling.
Late cameos from Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off 7) propelled India past the 250-mark. While Will Jacks and Adil Rashid claimed two wickets each, they struggled to contain India’s relentless scoring.
England’s Brave Chase
England faced early setbacks as Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakaravarthy each struck in the powerplay. Despite the losses, the Englishmen reached 68/3 by the end of the sixth over.
Middle-order batter Jacob Bethell kept the 2022 champions in the hunt with a brilliant century—the third-fastest for England. He shared vital stands with Jos Buttler and Tom Banton before forging a game-changing 77-run partnership with Will Jacks and a 50-run stand with Sam Curran.
The Final Flourish
The momentum shifted when Pandya dismissed Curran in the penultimate over, mounting immense pressure on the chase. Although Bethell fought valiantly, clutch death bowling from Bumrah and Pandya left England needing 30 runs off the final over.
India turned to Shivam Dube for the last six balls. A brilliant fielding display led to Bethell’s dismissal on the very first delivery, effectively ending England’s hopes. India restricted the Harry Brook-led side to 246/7, sealing a 7-run victory and marching into their second consecutive final.
