India register multiple records with mammoth total in semi-final against England

MUMBAI: Co-hosts and defending champions India on Thursday shattered multiple records by piling up a mammoth total in the second semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 against England, underway here at the Wankhede Stadium.

Put into bat first, the home side accumulated a massive total of 253/4 in their 20 overs, courtesy of in-form opener Sanju Samson, coupled with significant contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma.

India's 253/4 in the ongoing fixture is now the highest total in a T20 World Cup knockout match, surpassing the previous best of 205/4 by West Indies, which they registered against Australia in the semi-final of the 2012 edition.

Meanwhile, India's previous highest score in a T20 World Cup knockout was 192/2, which came in the semi-final against West Indies in 2016, coincidentally at the same venue.

Highest team scores in T20 World Cup knockout matches

• 253/4 – India against England in 2026

• 205/4 – West Indies against Australia in 2012

• 197/7 – Australia against Pakistan in 2010

• 196/3 – West Indies against India in 2016

• 192/2 – India against West Indies in 2016

Leading the way for the home side was Samson, who top-scored with a blazing 89 off just 42 deliveries, studded with seven sixes and eight fours.

Although the right-handed batter fell agonisingly short of a well-deserved hundred, his spirited effort helped him equal batting great Virat Kohli's record of the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup knockout for India.

For the unversed, Kohli made an unbeaten 89 off 47 deliveries in the semi-final of the 2016 edition against West Indies, played at the same venue.