T20 World Cup: England take on India in semi-final with Will Jacks firing but Jos Buttler struggling

Finishing batting innings has not been a problem for England at this T20 World Cup and that is largely down to Will Jacks.

The No 7 has been his side's MVP with four player-of-the-match awards and 191 runs in seven innings at a strike-rate of 176.85.

Without Jacks' 39 not out off 20 balls against Nepal and unbeaten 53 from 22 versus another Associate nation in Italy, England could conceivably have lost those games and been eliminated with a whimper.

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Head coach Brendon McCullum, already under the pump after the Ashes debacle earlier in the winter, would surely not have survived that embarrassment.

Jacks was a great help early on, then, and continues to be so, contributing a useful 21 and three wickets in the victory over Sri Lanka, 28 in the triumph versus Pakistan and then a swashbuckling 32 not out from 18 balls against New Zealand as England ended a Super 8s stage in which they went undefeated with a heist of a win.

As McCullum's men prepare for a seismic semi-final against India in Mumbai on Thursday (1.30pm UK, live on Sky Sports Cricket) another Jacks late show would be timely - and perhaps necessary if Jos Buttler and Phil Salt flounder again up top.

The Surrey all-rounder has turned himself into an expert finisher. Not bad for a guy who has spent most of his white-ball career as a starter, trotting out to open.

Why is Jacks flourishing as a finisher?

Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who has worked with Jacks at Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast: "I didn't believe Jacks could do as good a job as he has done, I must admit.

"He has opened all his life and even at RCB when he batted at No 3, he felt a little out of place at the start.

"It is a different feeling walking in when everyone is out in the field. It changes your mindset. How do you take singles? How do you hit the boundary? Your first boundary is fraught with risk a lot of the time.

"I am amazed how he has adapted to the role: it is phenomenal to see how he is able to take singles to rotate the strike and then launch at the back end. He has played on some tricky pitches as well and so can only be even better on flatter pitches with dew.

"The fact he is an off-side player has helped as at the death the go-to balls seem to be the slower-ball bumper and wide yorker.

"The wide yorker falls into his arc beautifully - he is able to cream it over the covers. Even when the field is set for that he still backs himself to hit it. When they then come in to him, he can launch leg-side."

Finishing is England's superpower. Starting, on the other hand, has been a right struggle.

Hussain: Buttler made for occasions like this

The much-vaunted opening partnership of Salt and Buttler has a highest stand of 38 in this World Cup. It totalled nought against Pakistan two games ago and then only two against New Zealand - the side England are now hoping to play again in Sunday's final.

At least Salt has a half-century in the tournament, a hard-earned 62 versus Sri Lanka. Buttler's best is 26. He has not passed seven in each of his last five innings.

England's greatest white-ball batter ever is averaging a paltry 8.86. His future has been called into question.

But Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain would not be surprised if we see vintage Buttler turn up against India in such a high-stakes contest and for the 35-year-old to take inspiration from the "f*** it" mantra he writes on his bats.

The former England captain said: "This is what Buttler is all about. I think he has gone one way in the last few games to give himself a chance but might go the other way now.

"He has something written on his bat that I can't repeat but it basically says: 'If in doubt, go for it'. I think he will go for it as this is the sort of occasion Jos Buttler is made for."

Buttler fired against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide, hammering nine fours and three sixes in a knock of 80 not out from 49 balls as his side romped to a 10-wicket win, although that was against a team shorn of Jasprit Bumrah due to injury.

Bumrah played in India's 68-run drubbing of England in the 2024 semi-final in the Caribbean and while he did not dismiss Buttler - Axar Patel did that - he did bowl opening partner Salt en route to figures of 2-12 from 2.4 overs.

India's Bumrah conundrum

How India deploy their pace spearhead in Thursday's semi-final has been a hot topic of conversation, particularly with England skipper Harry Brook possibly the key wicket after his stunning 50-ball century from the No 3 spot against Pakistan recently.

Opinion is split between Karthik and Hussain.

Karthik said: "I would introduce Bumrah later - the bigger wicket now is Brook and I would keep him for that.

"I think Bumrah and [spinner] Varun Chakravarthy bowling in tandem would be great match-ups to Brook as you need to knock him over early on. He can change the game on its head.

"I think Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya are good match-ups to Buttler and Salt. Salt has had struggles against Arshdeep in the past, although he has overcome them a bit."

Hussain countered by saying: "I wouldn't be holding Bumrah back for the middle order. I would strike early, make sure you get Buttler or Salt early and keep England down.

"India have Chakravarthy, who has a good record against Brook. Brook couldn't pick him at all during England's tour of India last year."

Watch England vs India in the second T20 World Cup semi-final, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 1pm, Thursday (1.30pm first ball).

2026 Men's T20 World Cup knockouts

All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports

Semi-finals

Wednesday March 4

• New Zealand beat South Africa by nine wickets (Kolkata)

Thursday March 5

• England vs India (Mumbai, 1.30pm)

Final

Sunday March 8

• New Zealand vs TBC (Ahmedabad, 1.30pm)

(c) Sky Sports 2026: T20 World Cup: England take on India in semi-final with Will Jacks firing but Jos Buttler struggling