In a display of sheer batting dominance, India rewrote the T20 World Cup history books during Thursday’s second semi-final clash with England in Mumbai. Batting first at the iconic Wankhede, Rohit Sharma’s side amassed 253 for 7, the highest-ever total in a knockout match of the tournament.
Breaking West Indies’ 2012 record of 205 for 4 against Australia, India’s knock was a masterclass in power-hitting. It ranks as the third-highest in T20 WC history and India’s second-best, while making them the team with most 250+ scores in T20Is – this being the sixth such instance.
Boundaries rained down with 18 fours and 19 sixes, totaling 37 – second only to Sri Lanka’s 41 from 2007. India’s tournament tally of 88 sixes now stands as the all-time record.
The innings kicked off shakily with Abhishek Sharma out for 9, but Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson countered aggressively, forging 97 runs in 45 balls. Kishan fell for 39 off 18, while Samson blazed to 89 off 42. Shivam Dube’s 43 off 25 provided momentum, and late surges from Tilak Varma (21* off 7) and Hardik Pandya (27 with 3 fours, 2 sixes) pushed the score stratospheric. Jacks and Rashid took 2 wickets apiece for England.
England now stares down a Herculean task under pressure. India’s explosive top-order and finishers have flipped the script on T20 conventions, positioning them as favorites to clinch a final berth and chase glory.