Mumbai, March 3 – The defending champions, India, will face two-time winners England in the second semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
India and England, one of cricket's oldest rivalries, will add another chapter to their history with this match. However, this is not the first time they have faced each other in a semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
In the past two World Cups, the winner of the India vs. England semi-final has gone on to win the trophy.
The first major clash occurred in the semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. England chose to bowl first and successfully restricted India's powerful batting lineup. India managed to score 168 for 6 in 20 overs. While the openers struggled to provide a strong start, Virat Kohli steadied the innings with a half-century. Hardik Pandya then changed the momentum with a brilliant 63 off just 33 balls. For England, Chris Jordan was the standout bowler, taking three wickets.
However, what followed turned into a nightmare for India. England's openers, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler, dominated from the beginning. They chased down the target without losing a wicket and finished the match with four overs remaining. This was one of India's most painful defeats in T20 cricket. After the loss, captain Rohit Sharma spoke about the need for the team to rethink and improve their approach to the format.
Two years later, India got the opportunity to settle the score in the semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. This time, India batted first on a challenging pitch in Guyana and posted 171 runs in 20 overs. Rohit Sharma led by example with a fine 57 off 39 balls. Suryakumar Yadav added 47, while Hardik Pandya chipped in with a quick 23 from 13 deliveries.
England struggled in reply. India's bowlers used the conditions perfectly and never allowed the English batters to settle. The team was bowled out for just 103 in 16.4 overs. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets each, and Jasprit Bumrah picked up two. India secured a comfortable 68-run win. They later went on to lift their second T20 World Cup title after defeating South Africa in the final.
