Mumbai, March 4 – India and England have both won the T20 World Cup twice, and they have faced off in the semifinals twice, with one win each. Interestingly, the team that won their semifinal clash went on to win the final that year and claim the title.
As the two giants of world cricket prepare for their third semifinal encounter in three editions at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, both will be aiming for records – hoping to become the first nation to win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup three times. Currently, besides India and England, the West Indies have won two titles.
India and England met in the semifinals of the 2022 edition, with England winning by 10 wickets. England then went on to defeat Pakistan by five wickets in the final to claim their second title. The script was reversed in the 2024 edition, with India defeating England in the semifinal. Rohit Sharma's team then prevailed over South Africa in a tense final to claim their second title.
So, who will be lucky in the third encounter? The stats and conditions favor India, but England have shown the ability to reach this far, and neither can be underestimated.
Overall, the two countries have clashed on 29 occasions in the T20 format, with India winning 17 matches and England claiming 12. India are also aiming to become the first country to defend their title in the T20 World Cup and the first host to lift the trophy.
Their clashes have not been easy, and Thursday's encounter will be the most challenging. England reached the last-four stage early, finishing undefeated in Group 2 of the Super 8 stage with five consecutive wins. India lost to South Africa in the Super 8 stage and secured their place in the last-four stage with a last-gasp victory over the West Indies.
The positions were reversed in the league stage. India topped Group A with a perfect record, while England lost to the Caribbean side and finished second in Pool C.
Though the script will be renewed in the knockout semifinal at the Wankhede, the records and statistics will serve as extra motivation for both India and England. The hosts will also be banking on the strong support they expect from their fans at Wankhede, where the images of Dhoni's match-winning six and Sachin Tendulkar being carried on his teammates' shoulders after the 2011 ODI World Cup are still vivid.
Though India struggled to reach the semifinals, their penultimate match in the Super 8 stage brought some relief as explosive opener Abhishek Sharma showed a welcome return to form with his maiden fifty in the T20 World Cup.
Though he fell for 10 runs in the must-win clash with the West Indies, India found a new hero in Sanju Samson as he compiled an unbeaten 97 to guide the team to victory. This has been the case for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup – they have found a different hero whenever needed.
If it was skipper Suryakumar Yadav who rescued the hosts with a brilliant 84 in the opener against the USA, players like Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, and Hardik Pandya have stepped up to the plate when needed and made vital contributions. Suryakumar is their top scorer with 231 runs from seven matches, with Ishan Kishan second with 217 runs.
On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav have made crucial breakthroughs for the team. Chakravarthy is their leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps, but there has not been one consistent dominant performance by anyone with the bat or ball.
The same has been the case with England. They, too, have relied on their all-rounders to reach this stage. As all-rounder Sam Curran admitted on Tuesday, they are still searching for that "perfect game" that would please everyone.
Phil Salt, Jacob Bathel, Will Jacks, and skipper Harry Brook have made vital contributions, though the talismanic Jos Buttler has not been at his destructive best and has struggled for form. Harry Brook is their top scorer so far with 228 runs.
On the bowling front, England have been well served by spinner Adil Rashid, who is their most successful bowler so far, with 11 wickets.
