India beat England by 7 runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final 2 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The Men in Blue will be facing New Zealand in the final on Sunday, 8th March 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

India were asked to bat first after Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bowl. Another Sanju Samson masterclass has allowed India to go over a score of 250. The Men in Blue side went unchanged in the crucial clash. Abhishek Sharma’s string of low scores in the T20 World Cup continued as he was dismissed by another off-spinner, Will Jacks.

Sanju Samson once again stepping up big

Samson played a blazing knock of 89 off 42 deliveries and was the player of the match as well. Contributions from Ishan Kishan (39 off 18), Shivam Dube (43 off 25), and, at the end, Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off 7), helped India post a target of 253/7 in their 20 overs.

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Coming out to chase England lost Phil Salt early, but Jacob Bethell was amazing as he scored 105 off 48 deliveries and was the lone warrior while chasing the target of 254 runs. While the Southpaw was batting, the total was chaseable on a belter of a wicket. However, he was run out in the final over, and the match was ended for England.

Sanju Samson, after winning back-to-back man of the match, thanked Jasprit Bumrah for his excellent spell on a wicket that was suitable for the batters. He bowled 33/1 in his four overs and was the most economical bowler among the two innings played.

“Feels great, I knew I got some form going from the last game. I thought I need to make the most out of my form, gave myself extra time. We know no score is stoppable, wanted as much as possible. England came close, played really well. Good semi-final. You need to assess conditions, we’ve played a lot of cricket here, know chasing is easier.”

“But the way myself and Ishan was batted, we knew 250 should be possible. Very happy. All credit goes to Bumrah, once in a generation. Think this award should go to him. Unbelievable feeling to play here, we wanted to put in a positive result. Hundred doesn’t matter, it’s not a Test or an ODI game where you can go up and down. Happy to get whatever I’m getting and in a winning effort.”

Sanju Samson is showing his experience

Sanju Samson has been exceptional since his inclusion in the side. He has played two match-winning knocks for India on two crucial nights. Though he was dropped on the score of 15 runs by English captain Harry Brook, that was the only chance in his whole innings he gave before getting out.

Sanju Samson has struck the most sixes for India in just three innings he has played. The wicket-keeper batter has struck 15 sixes in the competition so far. Sanju scored a 97* last Sunday, in a virtual semi-final against the West Indies and chased down the target of 196. In just four innings, he has scored 232 runs with an average of 77.33.

Also Read: IND vs ENG semi-final witnesses a MS Dhoni-Rohit Sharma’s reunion at Wankhede

PUNE: India’s summer heatwaves – the humid, suffocating kind that impact more than dry heat – are not just getting more frequent, but also more intense through a now-identified specific atmospheric chain reaction. A Jan 2026 study by scientists from IMD and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, published in the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, is the first to explain the precise mechanism behind these “moist heatwaves” and the findings have direct implications for early warning, public health, and climate preparedness.IITM scientist Rajib Chattopadhyay told TOI that their earlier study identified two types of Indian summer heatwaves and classified them as dry and moist. “The dry variety, which mainly scorches the northwest plains, is not showing an increasing trend. But the moist variety, in which high humidity compounds with high temperature to make the body’s cooling system fail, shows a statistically significant and accelerating trend. The current study provides a hint towards the mechanism which can intensify moist heatwaves over India,” he said.Scientists traced the trigger to Rossby atmospheric wave patterns originating near Europe’s west coast. These waves travel through a Europe-Middle East-Indian Ocean pathway and arrive over India as upper-air high-pressure systems, suppressing clouds and baking the surface. “But what turns a bad heatwave worse is a second actor – the anomalous warming in southernmost Bay of Bengal. When that warm patch generates its own circulation pattern and the two systems arrive over northwest India simultaneously, they superimpose and amplify each other,” Chattopadhyay said.The anticyclone strengthens, lingers longer, and simultaneously pumps moisture westward into India, producing a lethal combination of heat and humidity. The team validated this using a mathematical atmospheric model run under 129 different experiment configurations.“The model results showed a clear pattern. When warming over the Bay of Bengal occurs at the same time as atmospheric waves arriving from Europe, temperature and the ‘feels-like’ heat index increase noticeably over northwest India. We also found that if the atmospheric wave pattern shifts slightly, the zone of stronger heat stress moves toward eastern and southeastern coastal parts of India,” Chattopadhyay said.Observational data suggested the humid heat signal in these regions has been strengthening in recent decades, he said. “In experiments examining climate conditions, we found this interaction between atmospheric waves and Bay of Bengal warming works most effectively when jet stream speeds are within the range seen under present-day conditions. This matters because climate change is expected to influence large-scale atmospheric patterns, including jet streams and wave behaviour.“

Mumbai: Even as the state govt signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 30 lakh crore at Davos in Jan this year estimated to create 40 lakh jobs, the Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum (IEM), a G2B portal of the Govt of India, showed that between Jan 2022 and Aug 2024, 638 industrial projects with an intended investment of Rs 2.14 lakh crore were reported to have been established and 552 industrial projects with an investment of Rs 1.15 lakh crore reported commencement of business in the state.From June 2020 when Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0 was held till Oct 2025, the state govt had signed 303 MoUs worth Rs 26.8 crore of investments and expected employment of 26.6 lakh, states the economic survey report. The state govt approved 1,169 mega projects from 2005 when the mega project policy was introduced till Dec 2025 with an investment of Rs 19.3 lakh crore and expected employment of 13.8 lakh. So far, eligibility certificates have been issued to 912 projects with an investment of Rs 2.06 lakh crore and expected employment of about 3.3 lakh, states the report.Since its inception (July 2020) till Dec 2025, 63.8 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises have been registered on the Udyam registration portal in the state with employment of about 252.8 lakh. Micro enterprises which have less than 10 employees constitute the largest segment in the state with 62.1 lakh units employing 212.9 lakh people. There are 1.5 lakh small enterprises employing 24.2 lakh people and 18,087 medium enterprises employing 15.6 lakh people.In the IT sector, 37 public IT parks with an investment of around Rs 18,595 crore employing 2.7 lakh people were functioning in the state till Dec 2025, and there are 669 private IT parks located largely in Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Wardha and Raigad, states the survey report.“Software export in the state is Rs 1.74 lakh crore with an investment of Rs 2,382 crore upto Jan 2026 employing 7.46 lakh people. During 2024-25 the state contributed 15% to total exports from India and as on Feb 10, 2026 the state has the highest share of 17% in start-ups at the all India level. The state has allocated Rs 500 crore venture funding for start-ups,” reads the report. From Oct 2019 to March 2025, the state has remained at the top position in FDI inflows in the country with 31% share.

NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded its hottest day of the season on Thursday as the maximum temperature climbed to 34.3°C — seven degrees above normal — surpassing Wednesday’s 33.2°C. The mercury is expected to rise further and may touch 36°C by March 10. IMD data shows that the 34°C mark was breached in the second week of March last year, while in 2024, it was crossed only in the last week of the month. Clear skies and persistent dry weather have contributed to the sharp rise in temperature. “The city has been recording dry conditions, with the last spell of intense rain on Jan 28. Feb saw only two instances of very light showers. In the absence of an active western disturbance, Delhi has been experiencing clear skies, resulting in a spike in temperatures,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at IMD. Night temperatures, too, are on an upward trend. The minimum settled at 18.2°C on Thursday — five degrees above normal — compared with 15.7°C a day earlier. Minimum temperatures are likely to stay between 16°C and 18°C over the next three days. Jenamani said summer in 2022 was the warmest in recent years, while last year remained relatively milder due to frequent thunderstorms. According to IMD, temperatures are likely to rise gradually as no active western disturbance is expected in the coming week. “A gradual increase of 3-4 degrees in maximum temperatures is forecast over the next five days, with no significant change thereafter. They are expected to remain appreciably above normal (3.1°C to 5°C) to markedly above normal (5.1°C or more) for the next seven days,” the bulletin said. Maximum temperatures are expected to hover between 33°C and 35°C from Friday to Monday, and may reach 36°C by March 10. The city has recorded temperatures above 30°C for nine consecutive days. IMD data shows that maximum temperatures remained above normal through most of Feb, dipping below normal only twice — to 17.5°C on Feb 2 and 21.1°C on Feb 18 — when a weak western disturbance brought drizzle and overcast skies. Last year’s highest March temperature was 38.9°C on March 26, while in 2024 it reached 37.8°C on March 29. Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘moderate’ category with an AQI of 142 on Thursday. It is expected to stay moderate on Friday and may deteriorate to ‘poor’ on Saturday.

Mumbai: The state’s economic growth rate is set to rise from 7.3% in 2024-25 to 7.9% in 2025-26, according to Maharashtra’s economic survey for 2025-26 tabled in the state legislature on Thursday. The sharp decline in the agricultural sector owing to unseasonal rains and floods has been compensated by an upswing in the industrial and services sectors. The state’s estimated growth rate is higher than the national growth rate of 7.4%.The state’s per capita income is set to increase from Rs 3,17,800 to Rs 3,47,903 by 2025-26. This is higher than the national per capita income estimated at Rs 2,19,575. Latest figures for 2024-25 though show Maharashtra ranked 5th in the country in per capita income, behind Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.The survey shows that the estimated growth rate in the agricultural and allied services sector is set to plunge from 9.1% in 2024-25 to 3.4% in 2025-26. By contrast, the industrial growth rate is set to rise from 4.3% to 5.7% and the expected growth rate in the services sector from 8.3% to 9% during the same period. The industrial and services sector has much higher weightage in the computation of economic growth compared to agriculture. In 2025, 42% of the state received excess rains, which destroyed crops. Besides, a part of the state was also impacted by untimely rains and hailstorms. The calamities flattened agricultural growth, with the main kharif crop expected to see a 28% decline in the production of pulses and a 47.4% fall in oilseed output.“The industry sector maintained the growth momentum due to expected growth in the manufacturing and construction sub-sectors. The services sector has remained a buoyant segment of the state’s economy,” the survey states, “A favourable price environment and record GST collection during the current financial year have supported the state’s growth momentum.”Within the industry sector which is often targeted by the Opposition, the growth rate in the manufacturing segment is set to rise from 4.1% in 2024-25 to 5.9% in 2025-26 while that in the construction sector is set to increase from 6.3% to 7.8% during the same period. The growth rate in the electricity, water supply and utilities segment is projected to rise from 1.1% to 5.8%. However, the mining and quarrying segment is expected to see a fall in growth rate from 4.2% to 0.2%.In the services sector, the segment of trade, hotels, transport and communication is estimated to experience a rise in growth rate from 6.2% to 8.3% while the financial services and real estate segment is expected to see growth rate rise only from 9% to 9.1%. The sharpest growth is expected from the public administration, defence and other services segment which is set to see an increase from 8.8% to 9.9%.Yet, despite the rise in growth, the state has deep disparities within. Only 6 of 34 districts had a per capita income higher than that of the state in 2024-25. These were Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur, Raigad and Kolhapur. As many as 28 districts reported a per capita income lower than that of the state. And 11 districts reported a per capita income lower than the national figure of Rs 2,05,324. The tribal districts of Gadchiroli and Nandurbar reported the lowest per capita income in the state.The survey made no mention of Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana which costs the exchequer over Rs 35,000 crore per year. However, it points out the state’s debt for 2025-26 is an estimated Rs 9.3 lakh crore, the highest ever in Maharashtra. The survey says this is within the fiscal limit at 18.3% of GSDP. The fiscal limit is 25% of GSDP under the Maharashtra Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act 2006. On the industrial front, the survey says the Magnetic Maharashtra’ initiatives resulted in 303 MoUs for investments worth Rs 26.8 lakh crore between June 2020-Oct 2025. However, it does not provide data on how many MoUs resulted in projects.

Team India into the finals of the T20 World Cup 2026. In a fierce battle at the Wankhede cricket stadium, the defending champions beat England by 7 runs. Suryakumar Yadav-led team is only one step away from creating history.

As soon as Shivam Dube delivered the very last ball of the match, the entire nation went into a celebratory mood. Jacob Bethell, the England middle-order batter, tried his best to spoil the party, but Hardik Pandya did not allow him to do that.

A thriller match till the penultimate over

In the last over of the match, England needed 30 runs to surpass the Men in Blue’s 253 runs total, with Jacob Bethell, the centurion, in the middle. Bethell was the loan warrior for the England cricket team in the run chase. He scored 105 runs in 48 balls, powered by eight 4s and seven 6s. Only because of this middle-order batter, the match stretched till the penultimate over.

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Captain Suryakumar Yadav handed the ball to the pace bowling allrounder Shivam Dube for the last over. Bethell was on strike. They smashed the straight, but there was Hardik Pandya ready. As Bethell was the last hope for the England cricket team, they ran to seal another run. But Hardik’s throw was quick and accurate.

Hardik Pandya can rise at the right moment

The keeper, Sanju Samson, swiftly collected the balls into his gloves and dislodged the bails from the stumps. Jacob Bethell is out, England’s last hope gone. In 20 overs, the Harry Brook-led team scored 246 for 7, and India won the match by 7 runs.

Social media is flooded with countless reactions from the entire Indian cricket fan community. Everyone has started to smell another T20 World Cup trophy. In the final, the Men in Blue will be up against New Zealand on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

England captain Harry Brook explained why they lost

“We just thought there might be a little bit of hold early on with the pitch being fresh, and we expected a bit more spin in the first innings. But it didn’t quite turn out that way. Obviously, they played extremely well (on the Indian batting). All of our lads should be really proud of the way we played tonight and throughout this competition”, England captain Harry Brook said after the match.

“We probably didn’t execute as well as we could have. But the Indian batters are some of the best in the world, and if you misexecute against them, the ball goes out of the park”, he added.

Fans React as India qualifies to the Final

Thank you for your contribution @MichaelVaughan 😉 #INDvENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/DAh3rZETqj

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 5, 2026

Credit khud chal kar aata hai 7 run win ✍🏻#INDvsENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/F2Q22rHC5F

— Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) March 5, 2026

– Dropped the catch of Sanju
– Scored 7(6) with the bat

Harry Brook deserves the man of the match for India pic.twitter.com/Nc6f2yBmkd

— Cover Drive Queen (@CoverDriveQueen) March 5, 2026

Congratulations Team India 🇮🇳🔥

Into the T20WC 2026 Final!.🏆

What a performance by Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya & Jaspreet Bumrah 💪💥

Clutch moments, fearless batting, and deadly bowling. Bethel boss

One step away from glory 💙#INDvsENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/sPWZb5baIb

— Yudhisthir Chandra (@YudhisthirYc) March 5, 2026

#INDvsENG #T20WC2026
What a performance by Team India! Explosive knocks from #SanjuSamson and Shivam Dube powered us to a memorable win against England in the T20 World Cup semifinal.

Congratulations to the entire squad for this dominant display. The nation is cheering you… pic.twitter.com/3Vb5kgr0iH

— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) March 5, 2026

JACOB BETHELL PLAYED LIKE A WARRIOR. ❤️#INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/YZMA6Ut8Dy

— Indian Cricket (@IPL2025Auction) March 5, 2026

What a Game this was,
The Difference between the two teams was in Fielding
Excellent efforts by #England too
As a #TeamIndia credit goes to everyone, special mention @akshar2026 @Jaspritbumrah93@IamShivamDube @IamSanjuSamson @hardikpandya7#INDvsENG #Semifinal pic.twitter.com/GmMTySpYSe

— Munaf Patel (@munafpa99881129) March 5, 2026

Heart pounding, flags waving, India has done it AGAIN!
Semi-final conquered, finals calling – congratulations to all the players for an epic win and marching into the T20 World Cup 2026 final! This team fights, this team dreams, this team wins! #INDvsENG #T20WC2026 #T20WC26… pic.twitter.com/w3YNG1Ay3L

— Dhanraj Nathwani (@DhanrajNathwani) March 5, 2026

Read More: NOT Suryakumar Yadav! Sanju Samson credits Bumrah after winning POTM vs England