Kedar Jadhav Optimistic About India's Chances Against England in T20 World Cup Semifinal

As India prepares to face England in the T20 World Cup semifinal, former cricketer Kedar Jadhav expresses strong confidence in the team's chances. He highlights the in-form batting lineup, including Sanju Samson's recent performance, and the effectiveness of the bowlers. With a historical edge over England in T20 World Cup matches, Jadhav believes that the home crowd support will further bolster India's chances of advancing to the finals. Read on to discover more about Jadhav's insights and the team's journey in the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 5, 2026, 10:52 IST

India's Semifinal Hopes Against England

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 5: Former Indian cricketer Kedar Jadhav expressed optimism regarding India's prospects of defeating England in the upcoming semifinal on Thursday, which could lead them to the T20 World Cup 2026 final.

Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, Team India is preparing to clash with England, led by Harry Brook, in the second semifinal of the ongoing tournament.

In a conversation prior to the match, Jadhav shared his confidence in India's abilities, particularly praising the team's strong batting lineup. He highlighted Sanju Samson's crucial innings during the must-win match against the West Indies in the Super 8s. Additionally, he showed support for Abhishek Sharma, especially on the Wankhede pitch. Jadhav also noted the impressive performances of India's bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel, which he believes gives the team a significant advantage.

"India stands a solid chance of reaching the final. I believe they will win against England and secure a spot in the finals. The batting lineup is currently in great form. Sanju Samson proved his worth in the last game. With Abhishek Sharma in the mix, I have faith in him, particularly on tonight's Wankhede pitch. Being the host nation, the crowd support will be a tremendous boost for India. Most of our players are performing well, including bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel," Jadhav stated.

Despite a setback against South Africa, where they lost by 76 runs in their first Super 8s match, India has had a commendable run, winning six out of their seven T20 World Cup matches so far.

However, the team has yet to achieve a flawless performance where batting, bowling, and fielding all align perfectly.

After the loss to South Africa, Suryakumar Yadav's team found themselves in a challenging position. They needed to win against the West Indies, and thanks to Sanju Samson's outstanding 97*, India secured a five-wicket victory, ensuring their place in the semifinals.

Historically, India leads England 3-2 in T20 World Cup encounters. Their first meeting in the inaugural edition saw India win by 18 runs, highlighted by Yuvraj Singh's remarkable six sixes in an over. In the 2009 edition, England narrowly defeated India by three runs. In 2012, Rohit Sharma's half-century and Harbhajan Singh's four wickets led India to a 90-run victory over England.

In a memorable semifinal ten years ago in Adelaide, Jos Buttler and Alex Hales guided England to the finals, successfully chasing down 169 runs without losing a wicket. However, two years later, Rohit Sharma's fifty and Suryakumar Yadav's contributions helped India defend 171 runs, leading to a significant win against England, who were bowled out for just 103.