Monday, 6th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 6th March 2026, 3:11 AM
India produced a record-breaking performance in their T20 World Cup semi-final against England, registering a total of 253/7—the highest score in a knockout or playoff match in international T20 history. England’s 246/7 in the same match ranks second in this category, surpassing Italy’s previous record of 244/4 against Romania in the 2024 Sub-Regional Europe Qualifier A Final. Prior to Thursday, only one team had crossed 200 runs in a T20 World Cup semi-final: West Indies scored 205/4 against Australia in 2012.
India’s innings and the overall match set numerous records, both for the T20 World Cup and international T20 cricket:
| Record | Statistic | Context / Previous Record |
|---|---|---|
| India’s Semi-final Score | 253/7 | Highest in T20 knockout match |
| England’s Score | 246/7 | Second highest in T20 knockout match |
| 200+ T20 Scores by India | 6 | Double that of West Indies & Zimbabwe (3) |
| T20 World Cup Final Appearances | 4 | 2007, 2014, 2024; highest for any team |
| ICC Tournament Finals | 15 | Most finals by any nation across formats; Australia second with 14 |
| Combined Match Total | 499 | Second highest in international T20s; highest in World Cup |
| India’s Boundaries | 73 | World Cup record; 360 runs from boundaries, first time >300 in a WC match |
| India’s Sixes | 19 | Tied highest in World Cup innings; 88 sixes in this tournament, new record |
| Jacob Bethell’s Century | 105 runs | Highest in T20 World Cup knockout; fifth highest in international T20 knockout |
| Bethell’s Age | 22 years, 133 days | Third youngest centurion across formats |
| Bethell Balls Faced for Century | 46 | Second fastest World Cup century; 19 balls to fifty, England’s fastest |
| Sixes Conceded by Jofra Archer | 7 | Most by any bowler in a World Cup match; 61 runs in 4 overs, record for England |
Jacob Bethell’s century was particularly remarkable, achieved at the age of 22 years and 133 days, making him the third-youngest centurion in international cricket across all formats. Notably, all of Bethell’s first-class, List A, and T20 centuries have come in international cricket—a unique record. His fifty came off just 19 balls, the fastest for an English batter in T20 World Cup history, and his century in 46 balls was the tournament’s second fastest.
The match was also extraordinary for the sheer number of boundaries and sixes. India and England combined for 73 boundaries, yielding 360 runs from boundaries alone—the first time a World Cup innings has produced over 300 runs from boundaries. The teams also smashed 34 sixes in total, setting a new World Cup record and ranking fourth overall in international T20s.
India’s 88 sixes in the ongoing World Cup now represent the highest number in any T20 tournament, surpassing Bulgaria’s 78 sixes in a 2025 tri-nation series.
In addition, India hit 19 sixes in the semi-final innings alone, tying the joint highest in a World Cup match. The onslaught against England’s bowlers included seven sixes off Jofra Archer, giving him the unenviable record for most sixes conceded by a bowler in a World Cup game.
This semi-final performance not only secured India a place in the final but also set new benchmarks for high-scoring T20 encounters, highlighting the dominance of the Indian batting lineup in modern T20 cricket.
Sources: ICC, Match Reports, T20 World Cup Statistics
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