India produced a sensational and record-breaking performance in their T20 World Cup semi-final against England, amassing 253/7—the highest score ever in an international T20 knockout or playoff match. England’s 246/7 in reply ranks second, surpassing Italy’s previous 244/4 against Romania in the 2024 Sub-Regional Europe Qualifier A Final. Before this match, only once had a team crossed 200 in a T20 World Cup semi-final: West Indies scored 205/4 against Australia in 2012.
Historic Milestones
The semi-final set multiple benchmarks for both India 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; most for any team |
| ICC Tournament Finals | 15 | Most finals by any nation; 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 WC match |
| India’s Sixes | 19 | Tied highest in a WC innings; 88 sixes in this tournament, new record |
| Jacob Bethell’s Century | 105 runs | Highest in T20 WC knockout; fifth highest in intl. T20 knockout |
| Bethell’s Age | 22 years, 133 days | Third youngest centurion across all 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 WC match; 61 runs in 4 overs, record for England |
Jacob Bethell’s century was a highlight of youthful brilliance. At 22 years and 133 days, he became the third-youngest centurion across all formats of international cricket. Remarkably, all of Bethell’s first-class, List A, and T20 centuries have been scored in international matches. His fifty came off just 19 balls, the fastest for an English batter in T20 World Cup history, and his 46-ball century was the tournament’s second fastest.
The match was also exceptional for the sheer volume of boundaries and sixes. India and England combined for 73 boundaries, yielding 360 runs from boundaries alone—the first time a World Cup innings surpassed 300 runs through boundaries. The sides smashed 34 sixes collectively, a new World Cup record and fourth highest in international T20s.
India’s 88 sixes in this tournament now represent the most in any T20 competition, overtaking Bulgaria’s 78 in a 2025 tri-nation series. In the semi-final innings alone, India hit 19 sixes, tying the joint highest in a World Cup match. England’s Jofra Archer endured seven sixes, the most ever conceded by a bowler in a World Cup game, while giving away 61 runs in four overs, a record for England.
This emphatic semi-final performance not only secured India a place in the final but also established new benchmarks for high-scoring T20 cricket, demonstrating the depth, power, and dominance of the Indian batting line-up in the modern game.
Sources: ICC, T20 World Cup Statistics, Match Reports