IND vs ENG: India's strongest 11 for semi-final of T20 World Cup 2026 against England

India will clash with England in semi-final 2 on March 5.

India will face England in the semi-final 2 of the T20 World Cup 2026. The second knockout clash of the tournament will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5 (Thursday).

Suryakumar Yadav & Co. have lost just one match out of seven in the tournament so far, which was against South Africa in the Super 8 stage. On the other hand, England remained unbeaten in the Super 8 stage and will hope to maintain that momentum.

India and England will clash for the first time in the tournament, and both will leave no stone unturned to outplay each other. The defending champions will need to play their best set of batters and bowlers against Harry Brook & Co if they have to fancy their chances of going into the final.

On that note, below is India’s strongest 11 for the semi-final 2 against England.

India’s strongest playing XI for IND vs ENG semi-final of T20 World Cup 2026

1. Sanju Samson (WK)

Sanju Samson is expected to continue as an opener and keep the stumps following his marvellous batting show in the previous game against the West Indies. With his unbeaten 97 runs, Samson took the team to victory by five wickets in the must-win game.

2. Abhishek Sharma

Although Abhishek Sharma has struggled to score runs in the T20 World Cup 2026, he should be retained in the semi-finals against England. With his aggressive style, the left-handed batter can finish the tournament on a high note.

3. Ishan Kishan

With 224 runs, Ishan Kishan is the second-highest run-scorer for India in the campaign. At a strike rate of 185.12, he has hammered two half-centuries. He started the tournament as an opener and then was pushed down to three when Sanju Samson came back in the XI.

4. Suryakumar Yadav (C)

Although Suryakumar has struggled to score runs consistently, he is India’s leading run-scorer with 231 runs in seven games. He commenced the tournament with a stunning 84-run knock against the USA, which is his only fifty so far.

5. Hardik Pandya

With two half-centuries in seven games and a high strike rate of 156.36, Hardik Pandya has done a brilliant job in the middle-order. At a decent economy of 8.68, he has clinched six wickets. He is expected to take the number spot and play a key role with bat and ball in the IND vs ENG semi-final.

6. Tilak Varma

After Varma struggled to make a mark at No. 3, the team management demoted him to the lower order. This brought the best out of him as he looked his old self and played magnificently. Hitting quickfire 44* and 27 in the last two games, he has done his job well. He is likely retain his place in the playing XI against England.

7. Shivam Dube

With his aggressive batting style, Shivam Dube, who has played quite a few impactful knocks, has scored 166 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 156.60. Although Dube has been quite expensive with ball, he has clinched five wickets. He is likely to bat at seven against England and bowl a few overs.

8. Axar Patel

Axar Patel, who is the vice-captain of the team, has made handy contributions with bat and ball in the tournament. With seven wickets in five games at an economy of 7.52, Patel has been impressive with his bowling show.

9. Arshdeep Singh

With eight wickets at an economy of 7.77 in six matches, Arshdeep Singh has done a commendable job for the team. The left-arm pacer should be part of the pace unit in the semi-final.

10. Jasprit Bumrah

With his ability to restrict runs and get breakthroughs while bowling, Jasprit Bumrah is the most crucial pacer for the team. At an economy of 6.30, he has captured nine wickets in six matches.

11. Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy is the leading wicket-taker for the Men-in-Blue with 12 wickets at a brilliant economy of 7.66. Although he has looked out of touch in the last few games, he should lead India’s spin attack against England in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.