T20 World Cup: India into final despite brilliance from Bethell

Jacob Bethell’s thrilling century was not enough as India pipped England by just seven runs to seal a spot in the T20 World Cup final in a high-scoring thriller in Mumbai.

Needing 254 for victory – a record in this competition – after being flogged around Wankhede Stadium, Bethell hit a scarcely believable 105 from 48 balls to threaten one of England’s all-time white-ball victories.

The 22-year-old, the rising star of English cricket, kept England afloat from 63-3 and 95-4 and took boundaries from the final two balls of the 17th over to leave 45 to get from the final three.

The Wankhede Stadium crowd, jubilant when Sanju Samson earlier crashed 89 from 42 balls, had become increasingly nervous but the great Jasprit Bumrah remained calm through the tension, conceding only six from the next over.

Sam Curran was caught for 18 in the 19th – Hardik Pandya also holding his nerve – and Bethell was unable to get 30 needed from the last alongside Jamie Overton.

He was run-out attempting to keep the strike and England, despite three sixes by Jofra Archer when the game was all but done, finished on 246-7.
India were also boosted by two sensational catches by Axar Patel, first to dismiss Harry Brook and then a relay effort to see off Will Jacks, but England will rue a crucial drop by Brook.

In the third over he put down Samson on 15 – a mistake India punished by piling up the highest T20 score ever made against England.

It means co-hosts India will play New Zealand in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad from 09:30h.

England do not play again until the first Test of the summer against New Zealand in June but Bethell’s knock ensured they do not depart completely deflated. (BBC)