In a nail-biting second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India edged out England by a mere 7 runs on Thursday. Sanju Samson, awarded Player of the Match for his explosive 89 off 42 balls, turned heads by handing the true credit for the win to Jasprit Bumrah.
Samson, amidst roaring cheers while collecting his award, declared, ‘All credit for this victory goes to Jasprit Bumrah. He’s a world-class bowler, the kind that comes once in a generation. His performance today was unreal, and this award really belongs to him. Without that death-over magic, I wouldn’t be standing here.’
The numbers backed his praise. With England needing 69 off the last 5 overs, Bumrah’s 16th over leaked just 8 runs, piling pressure. Then, in the 18th, he conceded only 6, leaving England chasing 30 in the final over. Hardik Pandya’s 19th over, costing 9 runs, sealed the deal as England managed 22, falling short.
Bumrah finished with 1/33 in 4 overs, while Pandya claimed 2/38. India’s batting firepower set the tone: Samson’s 89 (7 sixes, 8 fours), Shivam Dube’s 43 off 25, Ishan Kishan’s 39 off 18, Pandya’s 27 off 12, and Tilak Varma’s 21 off 7 propelled them to 253/7.
Despite Jacob Bethell’s heroic 105 off 48 (7 sixes, 8 fours), England reached 246/7. Samson’s gesture highlighted Bumrah’s unmatched brilliance in crunch moments, propelling India into the final.