Summary of this article
India take on England in the semi-final in Mumbai
Men In Blue advanced to semis after defeating West Indies in Super 8
Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav have been IND's major performers
Two-time champions India head into the last four stage as favourites but await a fierce competitor in England in the second semi-final on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Suryakumar Yadav-led side know the conditions well but if the Men In Blue take things lightly, could face another jolt just as against South Africa.
India defeated England in the 2024 edition but lost by 10 wickets in the 2022 edition at the same stage. Before the semi-finals get underway, here's a look at the five best performers from India so far:
Varun Chakaravarthy
Surprise, surprise! It's not Jasprit Bumrah who's leading the highest wicket-taker list but the spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. The mystery spinner has scalped 12 wickets in seven matches and could eye more with a semi-final and a potential final in the offing. Chakaravarthy has left opposing batters bamboozled and could do the same against a hot and cold England batting line-up.
Ishan Kishan
With 224 runs so far in seven matches, Ishan Kishan has finally come to the party for Team India. The blistering opening batter has come good for the hosts and his attacking ability could derail the opposing side's momentum.
Sanju Samson
A match-winning 97 not out against West Indies in a do-or-die match in the Super 8s, Sanju Samson won over the Indian fans with his gritty knock. Samson, who has been in and out of the side, could be India's 'X-factor' against English bowlers in Mumbai on Thursday.
Suryakumar Yadav
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav has been his side's highest run-getter in this tournament with 231 runs at a strike rate of 135.88. Despite their defeat to South Africa, 'SKY' has kept India in the hunt for their third T20 WC title. Surya's rotation of his bowlers has been exceptional, and that has worked well during tight situations.
Jasprit Bumrah
He may not have been amongst the top wicket-takers in the tourney but Jasprit Bumrah's importance to the side is vital. The ace fast bowler has kept things tight and has not given away easy runs. Bumrah leads the chart for the best economy in the tournament (6.30) in six matches, scalping nine wickets.
What is India's head-to-head record against England in T20Is?
From the 29 matches played between the two, India lead the contest with 17 wins.
What are India and England squads for the T20 WC 2nd Semi-final?
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma.
England: Harry Brook (C), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.
