Sachin Tendulkar Praises India’s Intent After Wankhede Thriller Against England

India defeated England by seven runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final as Sachin Tendulkar praised the team’s positive intent and composure.

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday praised the Indian team’s intent after they defeated England national cricket team by seven runs in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The victory kept India’s hopes of defending their title alive.

A powerful batting display from Sanju Samson and a crucial spell from pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah helped India secure the thrilling win on a batting-friendly pitch.

Samson led the charge with a stunning knock of 89 runs from just 42 balls. Despite a brief scare against Jofra Archer, he continued his strong form and registered his second consecutive half-century. His innings powered India to a massive total of 253/7, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup knockout match.

Tendulkar later praised India’s approach in the match. “You can measure runs, partnerships and strike rates, but the real stat here is intent. Loved the positive approach with the bat and the cool heads in the field,” Tendulkar tweeted on Thursday night.

The total was above par at Wankhede, but England fought back strongly thanks to a brilliant century from Jacob Bethell. Bethell scored a superb 105 runs from 48 balls after England had slipped to 68/3 in the powerplay.

Former Cricketers Praise Match Heroics

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer praised the youngster’s performance on social media. “A star is born! Well played Jacob Bethell 👏,” former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer tweeted.

England continued their chase aggressively, but India regained control during the death overs. Bumrah played a decisive role with the ball, finishing with figures of 1/33 in his four overs. His disciplined bowling helped India restrict England to 246/7 in 20 overs.

ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma Picks 2007 T20 World Cup Final as Favourite India-Pakistan Match

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighted Bumrah’s impact in the high-scoring contest. “In a 500 runs game, my Man of the match is Jasprit Bumrah. Economy of 8.25. HE WAS THE DIFFERENCE,” former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan tweeted.

With the victory, India national cricket team advanced to the final of the tournament. India will now face New Zealand national cricket team in the title clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8.