ICC T20 World Cup semi-final: England vs India betting odds, preview, prediction

The 2026 ICC T20 World Cup is approaching its climax, and the semi-finals have served up a mouth-watering clash between England and India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Two cricketing powerhouses meet on Thursday in what should be a febrile atmosphere, with each side looking to add to their two ICC T20 world titles.

Looking at the England vs India odds, the home side are the favourites at odds of 4/9, with England the underdogs to pull off an upset at 7/4. In the T20 World Cup outright betting, India are the frontrunners at 6/5, followed by South Africa at 9/4, England at 9/2 and New Zealand at 11/2.

• Fixture: England vs India

• Competition: ICC T20 World Cup semi-final

• Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India

• Time: 1.30pm GMT

England

After a shaky start to the tournament, which saw England beat Nepal by 4 runs, narrowly beat Scotland and Italy and lose to the West Indies, few would have seen Harry Brook's men emerging as a serious contender to win the T20 World Cup. But that is what has happened, with England winning three games out of three in the Super 8s - against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand - to reach the semi-finals and they're peaking at the right time.

Jos Buttler looks set to continue at the top of the order, with England backing one of their best white-ball players of all time despite a dreadful run of form. The remaining selection dilemma would appear to be whether Rehan Ahmed retains his place as an extra spinner, after making important contributions with bat and ball against New Zealand. The 21-year-old took 2-28 and hit 19 off 7 balls in England's successful run chase. That was his first game of the tournament, with Jamie Overton the man that dropped out.

England's unlikely hero in India and Sri Lanka has been all-rounder Will Jacks, who's played a crucial role with bat and ball. Jacks has four player of the match awards, scoring vital runs in the finisher role at number seven and even deployed as an opening bowler on occasion. Skipper Harry Brook scored a superb century against Pakistan, while Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer and Liam Dawson have all taken at least ten wickets.

England predicted XI

1. Phil Salt

2. Jos Buttler (wk)

3. Harry Brook (c)

4. Jacob Bethell

5. Tom Banton

6. Sam Curran

7. Will Jacks

8. Liam Dawson

9. Rehan Ahmed

10. Jofra Archer

11. Adil Rashid

India

Co-hosts India entered the T20 World Cup as favourites to win the whole tournament, and despite a couple of close calls they are still the market leaders ahead of the semi-finals. They progressed through the initial group stages without much fuss, defeating Pakistan in their highly-anticipated clash, but were soundly beaten by South Africa in the Super 8s and had to beat the West Indies in what was effectively a quarter-final to secure passage to the last four.

Abhishek Sharma, the pre-tournament favourite to be leading run-scorer, is averaging just 16 in the tournament, but Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav have all displayed their big-hitting prowess at various points, while Varun Chakravarthy is in the running to take the most wickets, with his 12 so far joint-second in the tournament.

The spin-friendly conditions are not ideally suited to Jasprit Bumrah, but he remains one of the world's elite pace bowlers and one of the best death bowlers of all time. A key battle will be whether India's all-rounders - Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel - can outmatch England's trio of Jacks, Sam Curran and Liam Dawson.

India predicted XI

1. Abhishek Sharma

2. Sanju Samson (wk)

3. Ishan Kishan

4. Suryakumar Yadav (c)

5. Tilak Varma

6. Hardik Pandya

7. Shivam Dube

8. Axar Patel

9. Arshdeep Singh

10. Varun Chakravarthy

11. Jasprit Bumrah

England vs India: T20 World Cup semi-final prediction

India have won five of the last six T20 internationals against England, but when these two met in the semi-finals in 2022, England cantered to a ten-wicket victory, eventually going onto win the whole thing. Jos Buttler made an unbeaten 80 on that occasion, and how England could do with their former captain returning to form here. They still have plenty of explosive hitting, with Brook, Phil Salt and Tom Banton all capable of match-winning knocks, and depth down the order in the form of Jacks and Dawson.

It goes without saying that the Wankhede Stadium will be very noisy and very partisan in favour of India. However, home comforts have occasionally put extra pressure on the Indian team that they've been unable to match, falling short on home soil in the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and exiting at the semi-finals when they last hosted the T20 World Cup in 2016. Indeed, India haven't won a tournament they hosted since the 2011 World Cup.

England's spinners have shown they have the ability to restrict India's run rate and take timely wickets, while Jofra Archer has improved throughout the tournament. If one of their frontline batsman can post a big score, they will back themselves to defend or chase any target, given their depth down the order. India remain the standard-bearers in world cricket, but are yet to fully convince at the 2026 World Cup. If England can take a couple of early wickets and build the pressure, they have a real shot at silencing the Indian crowd. That's what we're predicting will happen, with Harry Brook leading his men one step closer to glory.

Prediction: England to win

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.