India’s Axar Patel (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

MUMBAI: Wankhede Stadium’s North Stand gave Axar Patel a rousing ovation as he settled into his fielding position at long-off. The applause was well-deserved. Within a span of about 40 minutes, Axar had produced game-changing fielding efforts that will be etched in Indian cricket folklore, much like Kapil Dev’s catch in the 1983 World Cup final and Suryakumar Yadav’s effort in the 2024 T20 World Cup summit clash.The 32-year-old had already taken one catch to dismiss Phil Salt when he produced the moment that lifted the team’s spirits and energised the crowd. It began with Jasprit Bumrah deceiving Harry Brook with a slower delivery with the first ball of his spell. The England captain skied the ball, which looked set to land safely in the deep cover region. Stationed inside the ring, Axar believed he could reach it. Sprinting back with his eyes fixed on the ball, he judged the trajectory perfectly and flung himself forward to complete a superb diving catch inches above the ground.

The second effort came in the 14th over and swung the match decisively in India’s favour. Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks had stitched together a threatening 77-run stand off 39 balls for the fifth wicket.Jacks sliced a full toss from Arshdeep Singh towards deep point, and once again the ball hung in the air. Axar, patrolling the boundary, sprinted across, held his balance and, just as he seemed to lose control, lobbed the ball to Shivam Dube before crossing the boundary, reducing England to 172/5.In between those efforts, Axar also used his guile with the ball, slowing the pace to dismiss Tom Banton, who had been scoring at a strike rate of over 350. He could have taken another blinder at long-off to dismiss Bethell as he neared his century, but the chance slipped and went over the boundary.India’s fielding had been a concern in the T20 World Cup, with 13 dropped catches before the semifinal. But led by Axar, the team produced a sharp display in the field, holding on to every chance — a positive sign heading into Sunday’s final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.Asked which of the two catches he cherished more, Axar responded with humour, saying the “ball had decided to chase me”. He added that Brook’s catch was difficult but Jacks’s dismissal was more crucial as it broke a dangerous partnership.Axar may not carry the aura of some of his teammates and has occasionally been overlooked. He had to hand over the T20 vice-captaincy to Shubman Gill during the 2025 Asia Cup and was benched for two matches in this tournament at his home venue, the Narendra Modi Stadium, against the Netherlands and South Africa.Yet Surya’s deputy has always been a team man. He spent those games in the dugout carrying drinks, cheering his teammates and waiting patiently for his chance — something he has done throughout his career. Axar has taken eight wickets with his leftarm spin in six matches at an economy rate of 8.09, the second-best among Indian bowlers after Bumrah’s 6.62.The Gujarat allrounder has also had to wait to play an ICC tournament on home soil, having missed the 2023 World Cup due to injury. With Axar now certain to feature in Sunday’s final, he is eager to play in front of his home crowd — with his son watching him live “for the first time”.“I think that’s why I didn’t play those two matches (as I had to play the final), because it is very important for me,” Axar said. “I have been waiting for many years to play in front of my family on my home ground. It’s a very proud moment. After two years, I will be playing on home ground — and that too in an ICC World Cup final.”On social media trolls calling the Ahmedabad stadium “jinxed”, Axar replied with a smile: “I didn’t play that game (the 2023 World Cup final), so now I think the jinx will be broken!”

Rohit Sharma and Brendon McCullum (Screengrab)

Former India captain Rohit Sharma grabbed plenty of attention at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night as India national cricket team defeated England cricket team to secure a place in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.Rohit, who captained India to the T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies two years ago, was present at the venue as a special guest. Before the semi-final began, he was involved in the pre-match ceremony, presenting the silverware and handing over the match ball. However, it was his lively interactions with players and staff from both camps that became a talking point even before the contest got underway.The former skipper first spent time with members of the Indian side, catching up with Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj and India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel. After that, he walked across to the England dugout, where he met former captain Eoin Morgan and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Morgan and McCullum were both stunned by Rohit’s noticeable physical transformation. The former India captain has reportedly shed close to 10 kilograms as part of his fitness drive, and the change was clearly visible during his appearance at the ground.“In the shape of your life. What’s going on?” Morgan asked Rohit.“Just chilling,” Rohit replied.McCullum, meanwhile, had a humorous reaction when he saw the former opener. “Where’s the rest of you?” he remarked. Rohit responded with a smile, saying, “It’s all gone”.Rohit also shared a brief exchange with Suryakumar Yadav that seemed to lift the batter’s confidence ahead of the high-pressure clash. When Surya asked, “Do you think we’ll be able to pull it off?”, Rohit responded positively: “Yeah, obviously! We played so well in the last match too.” During another conversation, Rohit reassured bowling coach Morne Morkel about the conditions, telling him not to worry as the wind would stay consistent throughout the game.The semi-final marked the third consecutive T20 World Cup knockout meeting between India and England. England had dominated the 2022 clash with a 10-wicket victory before India returned the favour two years later.Thursday’s contest once again produced tense moments, especially when Jacob Bethell threatened to take the game away from India with a powerful innings. However, the match ultimately turned in India’s favour thanks to a superb finish from Jasprit Bumrah, whose final two overs conceded just 14’Where’s the Rest of You?’: Brendon McCullum runs.

NEW DELHI: India legend Sunil Gavaskar lavished praise on vice-captain Axar Patel for his breathtaking fielding display in India’s nerve-wracking T20 World Cup semifinal win over England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Gavaskar even compared Axar’s impact in the field to that of Ravindra Jadeja, saying the all-rounder has stepped up to fill the void left by one of India’s greatest fielders.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India had earlier piled up a mammoth 253/7, powered by a blistering knock from Sanju Samson. England’s chase, however, threatened to derail India’s hopes as Jacob Bethell produced a sensational century to keep his side firmly in the contest.

But Axar’s brilliance in the field repeatedly halted England’s momentum.The first moment of magic came early in the chase when Jasprit Bumrah deceived Harry Brook with a slower delivery. Brook miscued the shot high over cover, and Axar sprinted back nearly 24 metres before diving forward to complete a stunning catch inches above the turf.ALSO READ: Axar Patel picks tougher of his two ‘out of this world’ catches — Watch & choose yours“Axar Patel’s catch to dismiss Harry Brook was unbelievable. Brook can take the game away and you have to grab every chance to get his wicket and Axar did that,” Gavaskar said while speaking on JioHotstar.“He ran 24 meters away from his fielding spot, kept his eyes on the ball, balanced himself and took the catch. Unbelievable stuff.”Axar wasn’t done yet. Later in the innings, when Will Jacks threatened to push England closer to the daunting target alongside Bethell, Axar produced another moment of brilliance. Chasing a sliced shot toward deep point, he ran hard across the turf, grabbed the ball while losing balance near the boundary rope and cleverly relayed it to Shivam Dube, who completed the catch.“He also played a key role in Will Jacks’ dismissal. The Bethell-Jacks partnership was taking the game away. But Axar ran to his left, grabbed the ball and smartly passed it to Shivam Dube,” Gavaskar added.Gavaskar believes Axar’s rise as a complete cricketer mirrors the impact Jadeja once had for India.“With his batting and bowling, Axar is going to be one of India’s great players. We had Ravindra Jadeja before him and Axar is filling that void well,” he said.

Varun Chakravarthy bowls during the semifinals of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup against England in Mumbai on March 5, 2026
| Photo Credit: PTI

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates as India reach T20 World Cup final. (Pic credit: BCCI)

MUMBAI: India, you can breathe again! After 34 sixes and 499 runs were scored across 40 overs, it all came down to one big hit that England could not produce. Eventually, Suryakumar Yadav’s men evaded the proverbial banana peel at the Wankhede on Thursday night and are now in the final of the T20 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!England’s hero was 22-year-old Jacob Bethell, who smashed a 48-ball 105 (8×4; 7×6), his maiden T20I century, to give India a massive scare before the hosts kept their nerve to seal a thrilling seven-run win.Having become the first defending champions ever to reach the final, Suryakumar Yadav & Co. will now take on New Zealand in the summit clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday night, hoping to become the first team to defend their title and the first host nation to clinch the trophy.

Chasing 254, England were kept in the hunt by Bethell, who added 77 for the fifth wicket in 39 balls with Will Jacks (35; 20b, 4×4, 2×6) and then 50 in 27 balls for the sixth wicket with Sam Curran (18; 14b, 2×4).However, delivering a masterclass on a pitch which offered nothing but grief for the bowlers, the peerless Jasprit Bumrah (1/33 in 4 overs) conceded 14 runs off his last two overs while Hardik Pandya (2/38 in 4 overs) gave away just nine in the penultimate over of the match, with England needing 39 off the last two.England had to get 30 to get off the last over but could take away only 22 off Shivam Dube as India heaved a sigh of relief. England finished at 246-7 in 20 overs.

The biggest stars of India’s nerve-jangling win, though, were Axar Patel — who pulled off two stunning catches to send back Harry Brook and Jacks — and Sanju Samson, who continued his fairytale comeback by smashing 89 off just 42 balls (8×4, 7×6) to power the Men in Blue to 253/7.Axar’s stunning catch running 24 metres from point to send back Brook was a special moment which brought back memories of Kapil Dev’s famous grab of Viv Richards in the final of the 1983 World Cup at Lord’s. Bumrah, too, deserves credit for that wicket for producing a special slower one.In the 14th over of England’s spirited chase, Axar conjured up magic again. This time, sprinting from deep cover, he lobbed the ball to Shivam Dube before crossing the boundary, Dube caught it comfortably to send back Jacks.

Earlier, apart from Samson’s blazing knock, several power-packed cameos enabled India to have just about enough runs in the bank.Samson is turning out to be the biggest hero of their campaign, a scenario few would imagine when the batter was going through a lean patch not too long ago. Coming off a match-winning 97-run knock against West Indies in the ‘virtual quarter-final’ in Kolkata, Samson put the English attack to the sword.Riding on the raw power of Samson and several other impactful contributions, India raced away to the highest-ever score in a knockout match of the T20 World Cup.England were left to rue a massive mistake from their skipper as Brook dropped Samson when he was on 15, at mid-on off Jofra Archer in the third over. It cost them 74 runs in 36 balls, as Samson was simply unstoppable after that.With Samson leading the way, Shivam Dube (43, 25b, 1×4, 4×6), Ishan Kishan (39, 18b, 4×4, 2×6), Pandya (27, 12b, 3×4, 2×6) and Tilak Varma (21, 7b, 3×6) went all guns blazing.