England fell seven runs short chasing 254 as India reached the T20 World Cup final, despite Jacob Bethell’s stunning 105 off 48 balls. Put in at the toss, India posted a tournament-record 253-7, but Bethell’s 45-ball hundred and a 77-run fifth-wicket stand with Will Jacks (35 off 20) dragged England to the brink.
Sam Curran (18 off 14) could not find the boundary often enough late on, while returning Jasprit Bumrah (1-33) kept things tight, pushing England’s required rate higher even with Bethell at one end. Bethell brought up three figures with his seventh six and eight fours, clearing the ropes off the first ball of Hardik Pandya’s penultimate over. Only three runs followed from the next five deliveries, a sequence that included Curran’s wicket, and England needed 30 off the last over. Bethell was run out first ball of the final over and, although Jofra Archer struck three sixes, England finished 246-7, India advancing to face New Zealand in the final at Ahmedabad.
Axar Patel made a decisive impact in the field, tumbling to take a one-handed catch to dismiss Harry Brook (7) and later contributing to the boundary relay that accounted for Jacks. Brook admitted afterward that a dropped chance early on—when he spilled a simple catch chance off Sanju Samson—proved costly.
Score summary — England vs India, T20 World Cup semi-final
– India 253-7 (20 overs; batted): Sanju Samson 89 (42), Shivam Dube 43 (25), Ishan Kishan 39 (18). Will Jacks 2-20, Adil Rashid 2-41.
– England 246-7 (20 overs; target 254): Jacob Bethell 105 (48), Will Jacks 35 (20), Jos Buttler 25 (17). Hardik Pandya 2-38, Jasprit Bumrah 1-33.
Samson starred for India, smashing seven sixes and eight fours in an 89 off 42. He should have been dismissed for 15 when Brook dropped a straightforward chance at mid-on in the third over; Samson seized the reprieve and punished England. Abhishek Sharma fell early to Will Jacks, but Ishan Kishan’s 39 off 18 formed an explosive 97-run second-wicket partnership with Samson. India reached 100 in the ninth over and kept up the momentum through Dube, Hardik (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off 7). Varun Chakravarthy was expensive, conceding 64 from his four overs.
England struck back when Adil Rashid removed Kishan, and Rashid finished with two wickets, but Samson’s partnership with Dube and the late hitting left England chasing the second-highest T20I total. Bethell, promoted after Brook’s early dismissal, launched his innings quickly—hitting six from his second ball—and reached a 19-ball fifty in the 11th over. Tom Banton provided a quick 17 off five, and Bethell’s assault put England within reach, but Jacks’ dismissal to Axar’s boundary work proved decisive.
England captain Harry Brook: “We gave it a red hot crack and unfortunately we were on the wrong side. I will hold my hands up and say that I made a big mistake dropping Samson because catches win matches. Bethell was unbelievable. He’s going to earn some serious money in his career and will definitely have a long career with England. That innings is an extremely big positive to take from this tournament.”
England head coach Brendon McCullum: “At a hostile ground with total Indian support, the toughness the lads showed to take the game as close as we did, I am incredibly proud. I love the job. I would love to carry on so we will see what unfolds. Right now, it’s about getting home, seeing some fast horses and playing some shocking golf. A bit of time to reflect and objectively look at what is and isn’t working.”
India will attempt to defend the title against New Zealand in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Sunday. The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.