Shoaib Akhtar and Hardik Pandya NEW DELHI: India reached the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 after beating England by seven runs in a thrilling semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. While India celebrated the victory, England all-rounder Will Jacks earned praise for his strong performance with both bat and ball.Jacks’ efforts in particular impressed former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. The England star picked up two crucial wickets, dismissing Sanja Samson and Abhishek Sharma, and also scored a quick-fire 35 runs off 20 balls.
India departs from Mumbai to Ahmedabad | Team India is heading into the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand
Samson was batting brilliantly and looked set for a century before being removed by Jacks in 89.In the video, Akhtar praised the all-rounder: “But Will Jacks again! He came to bowl again and took two wickets. He is an amazing player. He scores runs as well. Goron ka Hardik Pandya hai (He is Hardik Pandya of England). He always contributes.”India had earlier posted a big total of 253/7 after being asked to bat first. Samson led the charge with 89 off 42 balls while other batsmen chipped in with useful contributions.England’s chase stayed alive till the very end, mainly thanks to the amazing knock of Jacob Bethell, who smashed 105 off just 48 balls. However, tight bowling in the final overs from Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya along with a brilliant performance from Axar Patel helped India seal a narrow victory.With the win, India booked their place in the final, where they will face the New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium. India will now aim to become the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title.
