Suryakumar Yadav and Harry Brook (Image credit: Agencies)
India and England have each lifted the T20 World Cup twice, and their semi-final rivalry has been quite balanced so far – one win each. Interestingly, on both occasions, the team that won the semi-final won the title.Now, as the two heavyweights prepare for their third semi-final meeting in triplicate at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, history looms on the horizon. The winner will have a chance to become the first country to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup three times. Besides India and England, only the West Indies boast two awards.See also: SA vs NZ Live Score T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Final
India reach the final session before the T20 World Cup final
England triumphed in the 2022 semi-final, thrashing India by 10 wickets before defeating Pakistan in the final.
India returned the favor in 2024, beating England in the semi-finals and then overcoming South Africa in a tense derby to secure their second title.Who wins this time? While the conditions and numbers may be slightly in India’s favour, England’s temperament in big matches makes them just as formidable.Overall, the two teams have met 29 times in T20Is, with India winning 17 and England 12. India will be gunning for more – to become the first team to defend a T20 World Cup title and the first host nation to lift the trophy.
Their competition has rarely lacked intensity, and Thursday is expected to be no different, with both teams expected to give their all.Trips to the semi-finals were contrasting. England were the first to qualify, finishing Group B unbeaten in Super 8s with five straight wins. Meanwhile, India suffered defeat to South Africa and only secured their place with a dramatic, inevitable victory over the West Indies.Earlier in the league stage, India topped Group A with an impeccable record, while England finished second in Group C after losing to the Caribbean team.Although the semi-final will write a new script, the memories at Wankhede add emotional heft for the hosts – from MS Dhoni’s famous six to seal the 2011 ODI World Cup to Sachin Tendulkar’s teammates carrying him on their shoulders in celebration.India’s campaign has been marked by the brilliance of several match-winners in crucial moments.
Abhishek Sharma made his maiden fifty of the tournament in Super 8s, while Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 in a must-win encounter against West Indies proved decisive. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav set the tone early with a brilliant 84 against USA, and contributions from Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya strengthened the batting unit.
Suryakumar tops the run-scoring chart for India with 231 runs, followed by Ishan with 217 runs.The bowling attack was equally collective. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Hardik and Kuldeep Yadav contributed key runs, with Chakravarthy leading the wicket tally with 12 scalps. No single player has been able to dominate consistently, but this shared responsibility has been the driving force behind India’s run.England’s story reflects this pattern. They also relied on group effort rather than individual genius.
Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and captain Harry Brook made vital contributions, even as Jos Buttler searched for top form. Brock leads the scoring charts with 228 points. With the ball, Adil Rashid has been the standout performer, taking 11 wickets so far.The Wankhede pitch is expected to help the seamers early before they settle into a batting-friendly surface. With hot and sunny conditions expected and dew likely later in the evening, the draw could play a role in tempting the leaders to run first.Both teams appear to have settled down after seven games and are unlikely to shuffle their lineups. For India, this means another opportunity for Sanju Samson to build on his momentum.With more than 35,000 fans expected to be in the stands, Wankhede will be a cauldron of hype. Under the lights, and in front of a huge home crowd, the team that holds its nerve will advance to the final in Ahmedabad.Possibility of playing in XIs:India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Harry Brook (c), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.