Mumbai, March 5 – 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. Both teams have played in a semi-final for the third consecutive time in the T20 World Cup.
In the past two World Cups, the team that won the India vs. England semi-final clash has gone on to win the trophy.
India first reached the top four in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007, where they defeated Australia by 15 runs in Durban to qualify for the final against their arch-rivals, Pakistan.
India scored 157/5 in 20 overs, with Gautam Gambhir scoring 75 runs. Later, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan's strong bowling performances helped the team led by MS Dhoni beat their neighbors in Johannesburg, winning their maiden T20 World Cup title.
The 2007 champions failed to reach the top four in the next three editions in 2009, 2010, and 2012. They played their second T20 World Cup semi-final in 2014, where Virat Kohli's 72 not out helped India overcome South Africa in Mirpur.
India played their second final of the tournament against Sri Lanka at Dhaka's Shere Bangla National Stadium, with Kohli scoring another memorable 77 off 58 balls. However, their efforts were unsuccessful as Sri Lanka chased down the 131-run target in 17.5 overs, defeating Dhoni and Co.
Team India reached the semi-final for a second time in 2016, during their home World Cup, but lost to the eventual champions, West Indies, by seven wickets in Mumbai.
Their fourth semi-final appearance came in 2022, when the tournament was hosted by the then-defending champions, Australia. This was the first time India faced England in a T20 World Cup knockout game.
England restricted India to 168/6, with Virat Kohli scoring a half-century and Hardik Pandya scoring 63 off 33 balls, while Chris Jordan took three wickets. In reply, England's openers, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler, dominated, chasing the target without losing a wicket and winning comprehensively by 10 wickets, handing India a crushing defeat before going on to win the title by defeating Pakistan in the final.
The two sides faced off again in the 2024 edition of the tournament, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies. This time, India had the chance to settle the score and avenge their 2022 loss. India scored 171/20, led by Rohit Sharma's 57, with key contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (47) and Hardik Pandya (23 off 13).
England faltered in the chase and were bowled out for 103, with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav taking three wickets each, and Jasprit Bumrah taking two. India won by 68 runs and went on to win their second T20 World Cup title after defeating South Africa in the final.
The two sides are now set for a third consecutive T20 World Cup semi-final.
Pitch report:
The surface at Wankhede Stadium is traditionally known to favor batsmen and often produces high-scoring contests in the T20 format. The true bounce and quick outfield allow stroke-makers to play their shots freely, with first-innings totals typically ranging between 190 and 220 runs. While spinners may not find significant assistance from the surface, fast bowlers who maintain disciplined lines and lengths — particularly with variations — can still have an impact.
Weather report:
Clear skies have been forecast for the semifinal in Mumbai, with conditions expected to be ideal for cricket. Temperatures are likely to range between 27 and 37 degrees Celsius during the day, while humidity levels could rise beyond the 60 per cent mark, typical of coastal conditions in the city. Rain is not expected to interrupt play, ensuring a full contest under favourable weather.
Squads:
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Ben Duckett.
