Harbhajan Singh Applauds India's T20 World Cup Semifinal Victory Over England
India Triumphs in T20 World Cup Semifinal
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 6: Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh praised Team India's remarkable victory against England in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal held on Thursday. He highlighted the impressive bowling performances of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, while also suggesting that the overall bowling strategy could have been executed more effectively.
India clinched a nail-biting seven-run win in a high-scoring match at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, securing their place in the finals of the T20 World Cup 2026. India set a formidable target of 253/7 in their innings, but England fell just short, finishing at 246/7, thanks to a stellar century from Jacob Bethell.
As England seemed poised for victory, the match shifted dramatically when Jasprit Bumrah bowled an exceptional 18th over, allowing only six runs while England required 45 runs from the last three overs. Following this, Hardik Pandya maintained the pressure with a superb penultimate over, conceding just nine runs and taking the crucial wicket of Sam Curran.
In an interview, Harbhajan Singh commended India's performance at Wankhede Stadium after their semifinal success. He lauded the mature bowling displayed by Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya in a tense match, while also noting that the overall bowling effort could have been improved. Despite the narrow margin, he expressed satisfaction with the win and encouraged the team to maintain their style of play in the final to bring pride to India.
“India showcased fantastic cricket at Wankhede. The match was incredibly close, even after India scored over 250 runs. However, the maturity shown by Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya helped the team reach the finals. The outcome was just a big hit away. I believe we could have performed better with our bowling. Nonetheless, the positive takeaway is that India won,” Harbhajan Singh remarked.
“For the final, I urge the team to continue playing the brand of cricket they have demonstrated thus far. I am confident you will make India proud,” he added.
Batting first, India was propelled by a blistering innings from Sanju Samson, who scored 89 runs off 42 balls, complemented by contributions from Shivam Dube (43 runs in 25 balls), Ishan Kishan (39 runs in 18 balls), Hardik Pandya (27 runs in 12 balls), and Tilak Varma (21 runs in 7 balls), leading to a total of 253/7 in 20 overs.
Despite having England in a tough spot at 95/4, India couldn't maintain control as Jacob Bethell (105 runs in 48 balls) and Will Jacks (35 runs in 20 balls) forged a counter-attacking partnership of 77 runs for the fifth wicket.
Bethell continued to push forward even after Jacks' dismissal, and a quick-fire 19 from Jofra Archer brought England close, but they ultimately fell short, finishing at 246/7.
The final is scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad, where India aims to extend their impressive streak and secure another major ICC title against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8.