If India beat New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final, Surya will become only the third Indian captain after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to win an ICC title as an Indian skipper in his debut tournament
While India rarely tinkers with its playing 11, adding an extra pacer in the squad for the New Zealand game can be a wise choice
Captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted that his heart beating rate shot up to "160-175" during the tense closing stages of the semifinal as India edged past England to enter their second successive T20 World Cup final here on Thursday. Defending champions India defeated England by seven runs in a high-scoring semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium. "It's an unbelievable feeling. Obviously, playing in India, leading such a wonderful side, and with the World Cup happening here, going to Ahmedabad to play that final. I think it's a special feeling for all the boys," Suryakumar said during the post-match presentation. "Was very nervous, heart rate would've been 160-175," he added. Sent in to bat, opener Samson blasted seven sixes and eight fours on his way to a 42-ball 89 as India posted a challenging 253. Shivam Dube (43), Ishan Kishan (39), Hardik Pandya (27) and Tilak Varma (21) also chipped in with brisk knocks. "I think he knew what he wanted to do as soon as he went in to bat. Even when
England captain Harry Brook described Jasprit Bumrah as the "best of all time at the minute" after the India pace spearhead squeezed a tight over with a barrage of accurate yorkers towards the fag end of the T20 World Cup semifinal, which the co-hosts won by seven runs here. Brook said it's tough to beat India as they also have some extremely good batters "coming out of everywhere". Defending champions India piled up a record 253/7, thanks to a stunning 42-ball 89 from Sanju Samson, before restricting England to 246 for 7 for a seven-run win in the T20 World Cup semifinal here Thursday night. Bumrah returned with figures of 1/33 from his four overs. "Yeah, it's tough. They just have batsmen coming out of everywhere. They've got some extremely good players (and) they're clean ball-strikers. If you miss, you go for (a) six or (a) four," Brook told the media after the match. "Unfortunately, we didn't probably execute as well as we could have done and that's cost us slightly alongside
Hailing him as a true generational talent, Sanju Samson dedicated his Player of the Match award to Jasprit Bumrah following the pacer's stellar performance in India's T20 World Cup semifinal victory over England on a batting paradise here on Thursday. On a day when every bowler was smashed around the Wankhede Stadium, Bumrah stood out with exceptional figures of 1/33 in four overs while turning the match India's way with his special show towards the end. Samson, who laid the foundation for India's massive total of 253/7 with his 42-ball 89, said the award belonged to Bumrah, without whose magnificent bowling the wicketkeeper-batter wouldn't be "standing here" in the first place. "All credit goes to Bumrah, I think the world class bowler, a true once in a generation player. I think that's what he delivered today. I think this award should go to him actually. "I think if we didn't bowl that way in the death overs, I think I would not be standing here. All credit goes to the bowlers,
Opener Sanju Samson on Thursday conceded that the thought of cementing his place in India's playing 11 for the T20 World Cup forced him to overreach in the preceding home T20I series against New Zealand, leading to a string of low-scores. Samson misfired against the Kiwis, as Ishan Kishan overtook him and opened with Abhishek Sharma initially in the ongoing T20 World Cup. But the Kerala batter brought back to break the sequence of left-handers in the eleven, and he rewarded the management with two half-centuries in a row, with the latest being a fluent match-winning 89 off only 42 balls against England here in the semifinals. "I think that was very challenging for me. I definitely wanted to come and do what I am trying to do now for the country, contribute and win games in the (T20) World Cup," Samson, who had also made an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies in the previous match, told reporters in the pre-match press meet. "But I think I was trying a bit too much in the New Zealan
Sanju Samson is relieved to have produced two superlative innings to carry India into the final of the T20 World Cup, but he is not done yet and aims to play another match-winning knock to help India win the trophy for a record third time. Samson, who had lost his spot in the Indian team due to lack of runs not long ago, has come back roaring with scores of 97 not out in a virtual knockout against the West Indies followed by 89 against England in the semifinal, especially when Abhishek Sharma is going through a lean patch. Samson said while he is grateful, his toil must help the defending champions India lift yet another title with a win over New Zealand in the summit clash on Sunday in Ahmedabad. "It feels really great or relieved that I have been actually, from (a) few years, trying to do something like this for my country," Samson told reporters after India beat England by seven runs in the second semifinal here Thursday night. "(I was) just waiting with lot of patience, lot of
The mystery seems to have unravelled and though his teammates still consider Varun Chakravarthy the 'X-factor', the leg-spinner knows that he is racing against time to arrest what has been a stunning slide. The world's top-ranked bowler would be a weak link for India going into the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on Sunday if the team management chooses to persist with him. The steady dip in his form since the Super Eight phase of the tournament can't be brushed aside and Chakravarthy would need to clear the doubts in his mind after being taken to the cleaners in the business end of the tournament. The hammering he received at the hands of England swashbuckler Jacob Bethell on Thursday night in a narrow seven-run win for India could well prove to be the last straw. India vice-captain Axar Patel has had conversations with Chakravarthy of late and stressed on the importance of sticking to plans even when things are not going one's way. "We have talked about it (about ...
According to reports, the team will soon travel home on a chartered flight that will route through London.
What is the highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup history
Known for his high-energy stage presence and global hits, Martin's performance is anticipated to transform the stadium atmosphere into a concert-like spectacle before the title clash begins.
Sanju Samson continued his good form with a 42-ball 89 on the night as India booked their 2nd consecutive T20 WC final tonight in Mumbai.
Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand will be looking to win their maiden T20 World Cup title in Ahmedabad on Sunday
The Men in Blue were unbeaten in the Super 8 group stage, registering four consecutive victories.
Sanju had the chance to equal Phil Salt and Suryakumar Yadav's record of the second-most tons (4 tons) in T20I cricket, but he fell short by 11 runs from reaching the historic milestone
Both teams will be playing their third consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal against each other, with England securing the win in 2022, while India ended up on the victorious side in 2024
Both India and England will aim to keep their hunt for a third T20 World Cup title alive when they take the field at Wankhede on Thursday
The decision to remove Rashid Khan from T20I captaincy came after Afghanistan failed to qualify for the Super Eight round in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026
The tentative plan for WI was a mid-week departure from India, though no confirmed schedule was provided. For now, the squad remains in Kolkata, where they played their final Super Eight match vs IND.
The defending champions India, in the seven matches so far in the tournament, have scored 399 runs in the powerplay while losing 14 wickets in the process