India Beat England by 7 Runs in T20 World Cup Semi-Final

MUMBAI: Despite Jacob Bethell’s outstanding 105, India managed to defeat England by seven runs in an exciting T20 World Cup semi-final on Thursday in Mumbai.

In what would have been a record chase, England finished at 246-7 after Sanju Samson’s brilliant 89 set the stage for India to amass a mammoth 253-7.

Jos Buttler (25), Phil Salt (5), and Harry Brook (7) all fell early, but Bethell and Will Jacks (35) kept England in the chase.

In front of 35,000 ecstatic spectators at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium, the left-hander hammered seven sixes and eight fours in his 48-ball onslaught before being run out in the last over, allowing India to finally celebrate.

In the final on Sunday in Ahmedabad, India will play New Zealand in an attempt to become the first team to win the trophy at home and to keep it.

After being asked to bat by Brook, the hosts previously smashed 19 sixes and 18 fours to smash England’s attack to all sides of the pitch.

With a four and a six off Jofra Archer’s opening over, Samson made his intentions clear. However, on 15, Brook missed a straightforward opportunity at mid-off off Archer, giving him a life.

It turned out to be a costly error as Liam Dawson’s first over was hammered for 19 runs as Samson quickly reached his half-century off 26 balls with another massive six thanks to some careless bowling.

Before the left-hander holed out to Jacks off Adil Rashid in the tenth over to make it 117-2, Ishan Kishan put up 97 from 48 balls with Samson for the second wicket.

Samson persisted till Jacks came back, at which point India was 160-3 when Salt caught him in the deep in the 14th over.

Before getting run out by Brook’s direct hit, Dube maintained the assault with 43 off 25 balls and four sixes.

India surpassed 250 because to late runs from Hardik Pandya (27 off 12 balls) and Tilak Varma (21 off seven).With 2-40, Jacks was the best bowler from England, but the careless Archer was destroyed, taking 1-61 off his four overs.