England captain Harry Brook says team unity, not perfection, has driven England to the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals. England face co-hosts India in a high-stakes semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday at Wankhede Stadium.
England struggled at times during the group stage but won all three of their Super 8 matches, showing resilience under pressure. Brook highlighted the team’s belief and calmness in tight situations.
“We are never quite out of the game. The unity we have, the belief in each other, and the calmness we’ve shown in pressure moments has been outstanding,” he said.
Against New Zealand in the Super 8s, England chased 43 from 18 balls with an unbeaten partnership of 44 from 16 balls between Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed. Brook also led a remarkable chase against Pakistan, scoring a century when England were 58-4.
Brook emphasized that England do not need a perfect game to win the tournament. He praised the competitiveness and commitment of his squad, on and off the field, which has helped them succeed.
“We’ve won tight games which prove crucial in World Cups. Our lads are competitive, they take that edge into the cricket, and it shows in our results,” he said.
Brook expects Thursday’s match atmosphere to be “awesome,” with 33,000 fans at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. England have kept their XI flexible, with seam-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton likely to replace leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.
India, the pre-tournament favourites, have stumbled at times, losing to South Africa in the Super 8s and struggling against the United States in the group stage. Brook said:
“Both teams face pressure, but we’ll stick to what we know, assess conditions quickly, and give it a real good fight.”
England and India last met in a T20 World Cup semi-final in 2022, with England winning by 10 wickets in Adelaide. The sides also clashed in the 2024 semi-finals, where India won convincingly. Under Brook, England have won 16 of 18 completed T20 matches since his captaincy began.
Brook credited early decisions in his tenure, like recalling spinner Liam Dawson, promoting Tom Banton in the middle order, and using Will Jacks as a finisher, for helping England reach this stage.
“Jacksy has been the standout player with four man-of-the-match awards, Dawson has played a key role, and Banton has won us games with his bat,” Brook said.
