Following their narrow seven-run defeat against India in the T20 World Cup semi-final on Thursday, England captain Harry Brook hailed fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as the ‘best bowler of all time’ for his decisive spell with the ball in the end overs.

Put into bat, India posted a mammoth 253/7 in their 20 overs led by Sanju Samson’s brilliant 42-ball 89 and vital contributions from the middle and lower order batters. Jacob Bethell smashed 105 from 48 balls to lead England’s strong reply as they finished on 246/7 in a high-scoring contest.

In a high-scoring game in which both teams combined to amass 499 runs, Bumrah showed his class with the ball, to register excellent figures of 1/33 from his four overs. He conceded just 14 runs in his last two overs bowled at the death — including six runs in the 18th over and eight runs in the 16th over to stifle England’s charge at the end.

Introduced in the fifth over, he struck with his first ball with the key wicket of England batting mainstay and captain Harry Brook. Brook perished after scoring just seven runs, falling to the slower ball from Bumrah, with Axar Patel taking an excellent catch running back from the cover region.

Bumrah Completes 500 Wickets In International Cricket

“He (Bumrah) is a very good bowler, arguably the best of all time at the minute. He has been a very good bowler for a long time,” Brook said after the match.

Bumrah registered a new landmark to his name, becoming the eighth Indian bowler to complete 500 wickets in international cricket across the three formats.

Brook also hailed India’s fielding, while picking out Axar’s catch to dismiss him as ‘one of the best catches’.

“The Indians fielded extremely well. That catch is arguably one of the best catches I have seen as well. So yeah, hats off to them.”

India will face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

MUMBAI: Defending champions India defeated England by seven runs in the second semifinal to storm into the summit clash of the T20 World Cup here on Thursday.

Batting first after England captain Harry Brook opted to field, India national cricket team produced a batting masterclass, piling up a formidable 253/7 in their 20 overs. The charge was led by Sanju Samson, who hammered a scintillating 89 off just 42 deliveries. His explosive knock, laced with boundaries and towering sixes, set the tone for India’s imposing total, while crucial cameos from the middle order ensured the scoreboard kept racing.

England, however, refused to back down. Youngster Jacob Bethell played a sensational innings, smashing 105 off 48 balls to keep the chase alive deep into the final overs. His fearless strokeplay threatened to turn the match in England’s favour as the required run rate remained within reach.

But India’s bowlers held their nerve when it mattered most. Tight death bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh, along with a brilliant fielding effort from Axar Patel, ensured India sealed a dramatic seven-run victory.

With the win, India booked their place in the final, where they will face New Zealand national cricket team on Sunday in a high-stakes title clash.

Brief Scores

India 253/7 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Shivam Dube 43; Will Jacks 2/40) beat England 246/7 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 105; Hardik Pandya 2/38) by seven runs.

West Indies head coach and former T20 World Cup winner Darren Sammy took to social media on Wednesday to express his frustration after being stranded in India following his team’s elimination from the T20 World Cup 2026.

“I just wanna go home,” Sammy posted on X, a simple message that captured the growing anxiety of cricketers caught in an unprecedented travel crisis.

The West Indies cricket team has been left stranded in Kolkata following their exit from the tournament, as escalating tensions in the Middle East have led to the closure of air spaces across West Asia. The Caribbean side, which played its Super 8 match against India in Kolkata, was scheduled to depart India shortly after its elimination.

However, the shutdown of Dubai Airport and the wider closure of West Asian airspace have severely disrupted international flight schedules, leaving the team unable to return home as planned. What should have been a straightforward journey home has turned into a waiting game with no clear end in sight.

The West Indies are not the only cricket team stuck in India. Zimbabwe’s squad faced the same problem but managed to find a way out with help from the ICC.

According to a statement from Zimbabwe Cricket, the ICC stepped in to secure alternative travel arrangements after their original flights via Dubai on Emirates were cancelled. The team is now returning to Harare in batches via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“Due to flight availability and revised routing, the squad will return to Harare in batches. The first group of players departed India today, Wednesday, while the final group is scheduled to leave on Friday afternoon,” the board said.

Zimbabwe’s journey home has taken a completely different route than planned, but at least they have a route. For the West Indies, however, there has been no official update on their travel plans.