Besides the crucial run-out, Hardik Pandya had also scored a brisk 27 and snared two wickets in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final.
It was a collective result of many not-so-small contributions that helped India seal their spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final. From Sanju Samson’s vital 89 that laid the base for a mammoth 253-run total to Jasprit Bumrah’s yet another excellent spell under pressure, all the players had put their hands up in different moments to claim the knockout thriller.
Another match-defining moment was Hardik Pandya’s brilliant execution to run out centurion Jacob Bethell in the first delivery of the final over. The 22-year-old was batting at 104 off just 47 balls and could still take the game away from the Men in Blue. England needed 30 runs in the final six deliveries off Shivam Dube. But a clinical throw from Pandya denied him a double as well as also ended the 2022 champions’ hopes to advance to the summit clash.
“There are two ways in life. I could have got my heart rushing and would have not been able to execute. So, I went in my zen mode. Quite amazing that instead of getting my heartbeat rushed, I was still, and I’m really proud of that,” said the player in a BCCI video.
However, the all-rounder noted that he wanted the throw to land closer to the stumps. But Samson’s commendable glovework had removed the bails way before the left-hander’s reach. The dismissal caused a sigh of relief in the hosts’ dugout. Eventually, despite three sixes from Jofra Archer, India clinched the nervy-affair by seven runs.
“One batter I had to get out from the field was Bethell. The way he was batting, I knew I had to keep calm and throw it where it was supposed to be. I would have liked it a little closer to the stumps, but nevertheless, we got the job done,” he added.
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The defending champions are just one victory away from claiming the coveted T20 World Cup 2026 trophy. But besides putting up a courageous show on the field, the side would also have to defy multiple previous stats to add a third T20 championship title to their cabinet.
“We don’t get many opportunities in our lives to enjoy those feelings. First of all, please be excited for the game, and at the same point of time, just recover and enjoy,” stated Pandya in the dressing room after India’s semi-final victory.
Previously, no team has won the silverware in successive editions, and no countries to host the event have been able to lift the title in front of their home crowd. Moreover, India are yet to defeat New Zealand in a T20 World Cup match. Interestingly, both of the Black Caps’ ICC titles, Champions Trophy 2000 and World Test Championship 2021, have also come by defeating India in the respective tournament finals.
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