Suryakumar Yadav (R) with Tilak Varma during training. (Getty Images) MUMBAI: India and England will clash in the third semi-final of the T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday evening. Both sides have one win each in their previous knockout matches, with the winner lifting the trophy on both occasions.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Chasing 170, England beat India by 10 wickets in the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup as Alex Hales (86 not out) and Jos Buttler (80 not out) dominated on a flat pitch in Adelaide. Two years later in Providence, India avenged that defeat with a 68-run victory as spinners Kuldeep Yadav (3-19) and Axar Patel (3-28) bowled out England for 103 in 16.4 overs.
India arrive for the final net session before the T20 World Cup semi-finals
India defeated England 4-1 in the five-match T20I series last January and sealed it with a 150-run victory at the Wankhede. However, the stakes are much higher in the World Cup semi-finals.Both teams enter the match full of confidence, although England seem to have more momentum after winning all three of their Super 8 matches against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand. India, meanwhile, will be looking to defy history – no defending champions have retained the T20 World Cup and no host nation has won the title. In fact, no defending champion even made it to the finals in the following edition.India topped Group A alongside Pakistan and the associated teams, winning all four league matches. However, their batting looked vulnerable on slower pitches against spin. This was evident during the collapse against the United States at the Wankhede, where the hosts slumped to 77-6 before captain Suryakumar Yadav rescued them with an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls. England opened their campaign with a narrow four-run win over Nepal at the Wankhede, with Sam Curran making a 10-run defense in the final and Will Jacks putting in a superb all-round effort.They later lost to the West Indies by 30 runs at the same venue where Sherfane Rutherford smashed 76 not out from 42 balls and the Caribbean spinners stifled England’s batting.India’s Super 8 campaign began with a 76-run loss to South Africa in Ahmedabad. They bounced back by beating Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Chennai after posting 256 for four before beating the West Indies by five wickets at the Eden Gardens, powered by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 off 50 balls and Jasprit Bumrah’s double strike.Meanwhile, England opened the Super 8s with a 51-run win over Sri Lanka, which they won by 95. They followed it up with a two-wicket win against Pakistan, highlighted by captain Harry Brook’s 51-ball 100 and Liam Dawson’s 3-24. England booked their place in the semi-finals with a four-wicket win over New Zealand. Samson has been among India’s most consistent batsmen, in stark contrast to opening partner Abhishek Sharma, who managed just 80 runs in six matches at an average of 13.33, including three ducks.His fifty against Zimbabwe remains his only significant contribution. The left-hander will be hoping to rediscover his touch at the place where he once smashed 135 off 54 balls.England also have concerns about their openers. Buttler scored just 62 runs in seven matches at an average of 8.85 while Phil Salt struggled for consistency apart from 62 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Samson, who has struggled with short-bowling, and the off-form Abhishek could face a stiff test from Jofra Archer in the powerplay.However, even Archer found the Wankhede ruthless, returning figures of 1-42 against Nepal and 1-48 against the West Indies.Ishan Kishan was quiet after his match-winning 77 off 40 balls against Pakistan in Colombo. However, he, along with Surya, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya – all former Mumbai Indians players – will be familiar with the Wankhede conditions. Tilak looked more comfortable after moving from No.3 to No.6, scoring 44 not out from 16 balls against Zimbabwe and 27 from 15 balls against the West Indies.India’s spin vulnerability could be tested again by an England attack comprising Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, Rehan Ahmed and off-spinning all-rounder Will Jacks. India will counter with Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel, although Varun has struggled for rhythm – a far cry from last year’s bilateral series against England, when he took 14 wickets in five matches at an average of 9.85.
