India will defend their T20 World Cup crown after a dramatic semi-final victory over England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The hosts posted 253 for 7, powered by Sanju Samson’s 89 and useful cameos from Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma. The high-scoring clash produced a combined 499 runs and 34 sixes — 19 from India and 15 from England — and left the packed stadium and fans across the country celebrating.
England fought back largely on the strength of Jacob Bethell’s scintillating 105, the tournament’s standout knock in the semis. Bethell’s aggression, with a series of unorthodox strokes and big hits alongside partners such as Tom Banton and Will Jacks at various stages, kept England in contention, but they finished on 246 for 7 — seven runs short of India’s total.
Key moments for India included Hardik Pandya’s opening over that removed Phil Salt, and Jasprit Bumrah quickly dismissing captain Harry Brook. Fielding and bowling interventions from Axar Patel and Shivam Dube combined to save crucial boundaries and led to Will Jacks’ dismissal. India’s bowlers struck at important phases to stop England’s middle and lower order from building the momentum needed to overhaul the massive target.
The win sends India to Sunday’s final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where they will aim to become the first side to retain the T20 World Cup and the first to lift the trophy on home soil. Their opponents will be New Zealand, who reached the final after Finn Allen’s record-breaking unbeaten 100 off 33 balls helped overturn South Africa’s 169.
Off the field, the Indian Air Force reported an SU-30 MKI fighter jet overdue after takeoff from Jorhat, Assam, prompting a search-and-rescue mission. Polling also closed in Nepal’s general election, with early trends expected the following day and final results likely to take several days. In newsroom notes, DW’s Delhi liveblog team handed coverage duties over to colleagues in Bonn as the day’s coverage wrapped up.