After defeating the England national cricket team by seven runs in a high-scoring semi-final, India secured their spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final by withstanding an incredible counterattack by Jacob Bethell. A stunning performance from Bethell, who hammered 105 off only 48 balls and kept his team in the hunt virtually by himself, propelled England as they chased a formidable total of 254. India maintained their composure in the last moments to secure the victory and set up a final match against the New Zealand national cricket team, despite his exploits.
Earlier, India amassed a record-breaking 253 for 7, the highest score ever seen in a T20 World Cup semifinal. Leading the charge with a scorching 89, Sanju Samson almost missed a century but set the stage for the enormous score. Samson dominated the powerplay at the start of India’s strong innings. He hammered England’s bowlers with a barrage of boundaries and sixes, reaching his half-century in just 26 balls. Samson ultimately left for 89 after finding a fielder in the deep, while Ishan Kishan also contributed before falling to Adil Rashid.
England’s chase started poorly as Hardik Pandya dismissed Phil Salt early. Wickets from Varun Chakravarthy and a sharp catch by Axar Patel removed key batters, but Jacob Bethell kept England in the game with a brilliant counterattack. A crucial over from Jasprit Bumrah, giving away just six runs, shifted momentum before Pandya dismissed Sam Curran. Bethell scored a century but was run out in the final over, and despite three late sixes from Jofra Archer, England fell seven runs short. India advanced to the final against New Zealand.
