Jacob Bethell rewrites record books with brilliant century in T20 World Cup semi-finals

England young batsman Jacob Bethell put in a stellar performance against the Indian national cricket team in the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Although England eventually lost the match by seven runs, Besser’s sensational century turned the chase into an exciting game and etched his name in the record books.Fastest 100 seconds in T20 WC (by balls)33 – find alan vs SA, Kolkata, 2026 SF45 – Jacob Bessel vs IND, Mumbai WS, 202647 – Chris Gayle vs ENG, Mumbai WS, 201650 – Chris Gayle vs SA, Johannesburg, 200750 – Harry Brooke vs. PAK, Palleke, 2026Bethel scored a fearless 105 runs in just 48 balls while chasing a mammoth target of 254 runs. The left-hander struck from the start and kept England chasing with a series of powerful knocks. His innings became the highlight of England’s chase as the team scored 246 runs in seven innings.

This century is historic for many reasons. Bethell achieved the fastest hundred by an England batsman in T20 World Cup history. He also scored just 19 goals in his fifty, which is the joint record for the fastest half-century in a T20 World Cup knockout match. Finn Allen had previously reached the same milestone with 19 goals against South Africa in the first semi-final of this World Cup.The 19-ball fifty also became the fastest record by an England player in the T20 World Cup, surpassing the previous record held by Will Jacks, who reached the half-century against Italy with 21 balls.Despite Bethel’s extraordinary efforts, England were unable to complete the chase. Earlier in the evening, India posted a huge figure of 253 on the board. Sanzhou Samson Leading with 89 off 42 balls, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya Tilak Varma was also in the mix with a quick run.India’s bowlers kept their cool in the final stages of the chase. Hardik Pandya picked up two wickets while Jasprit Bumrah performed well and ended up with 1 for 33.The match also created history with a total of 499 runs, becoming the second-highest match total in men’s T20 internationals. Although it ended as a loser, Besser’s record-breaking century will be remembered as one of the most explosive knocks of the tournament and the fastest by an England batsman in a T20 World Cup.