New Delhi, March 6 – After defending champions India edged out England by seven runs to advance to the T20 World Cup final, legendary batter Sachin praised the Men in Blue's determination in the high-scoring match and said it's the mindset they needed in the knockout rounds.
Following Sanju Samson's leadership, India reached 253/7, and the home team overcame a spirited challenge from England to secure a seven-run victory in a high-scoring semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. The two teams combined to score 499 runs, the most in a men's T20 World Cup match.
"You can measure runs, partnerships, and strike rates, but the real key here is intent. I loved the positive approach with the bat and the calm demeanor in the field. That's the mindset you want in knockout cricket," Sachin shared on X.
Samson was named Player of the Match for his explosive batting. Tendulkar praised Samson's impressive performance with the bat. "It's great to see Sanju Samson carry his form into this match and set the tone early! Eyes on the final," he added.
India's 253/7 is the fourth-highest score by a team in T20 World Cup history, and the highest ever in a knockout game in the tournament. The only other instance of a team scoring 200+ in a knockout game before today was West Indies' 205/4 against Australia at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo in the 2012 semifinal.
In Sunday's title clash, India will be aiming for several firsts as they take on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. They are aiming to become the first host team to win the T20 World Cup, the first team to defend the title, and the first to win three T20 World Cup trophies.
India have reached the final for the fourth time in T20 World Cups, the most for any team. Moreover, India is the first team to enter the final as defending champions.
