As the T20 World Cup 2026 approaches its thrilling climax, Team India is gearing up to face England in the much-anticipated second semi-final on March 5 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Ahead of this crucial encounter, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has highlighted the significant advantage that England possesses with Will Jacks in their lineup. Gavaskar noted, ‘He’s on a tremendous streak, and sometimes a player finds everything falling into place during a tournament. His contributions with the bat down the order have been invaluable. Having someone like him batting at number seven is a tremendous asset for England.’
Drawing a parallel, Gavaskar likened Jacks to India’s Shivam Dube, recalling a pivotal moment in India’s match against the West Indies where Dube’s two boundaries in quick succession alleviated pressure on his team.
Gavaskar also expressed curiosity about how India’s right-handed batsmen will cope with Jacks, who has been a thorn in the side of many with his spin bowling. ‘If the Wankhede pitch offers any turn, he could prove to be quite a challenge. The way players like Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, or Hardik Pandya tackle him will be crucial,’ he remarked.
He added, ‘It’s possible he might not face many left-handers, like Abhishek, Tilak, Dube, or others lower down the order. The right-handed batsmen will likely have to deal with him more often.’
Before India takes the field, South Africa will battle New Zealand in the first semi-final on March 4 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, culminating in the grand finale on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Team India’s squad for this prestigious tournament includes: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Tilak Varma.