It’s World No.1 vs the defending champions up next for the Men in Blue, and there is no better stage than the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals to decide who grabs the bragging rights.

The INDvENG rivalry in T20Is has always been intense. But with the memories of Adelaide 2022 still fresh and the desire for an ICC silverware burning, Rohit Sharma and his team are determined to disrupt England's journey.

There is a thrilling intensity in this contest, and to fully immerse ourselves in the anticipation of the big game, let’s delve into the rich history of the INDvENG rivalry in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, a clash that has always been a highlight for cricket enthusiasts.

2007: Red-hot Yuvraj runs riot over England

They say first meetings always leave an impression, and the first-ever T20I clash between India and England is an unforgettable memory - for generations of Indian cricket fans. The Impact of Yuvraj Singh’s destructive innings of 58 not out in 16 balls - a performance that included the historic six-sixes-in-an-over phenomenon - cannot be overstated. It propelled the Men in Blue to post 218/4, with Irfan Pathan’s 3/37 and RP Singh’s 2/28 instrumental in keeping England 18 runs short of victory.

2009: Heartbreak at Lord’s

Two years after lifting the trophy, India’s title defence would end in a narrow three-run defeat. Harbhajan Singh’s 3/30 was pivotal to help MS Dhoni’s men restrict England to 153/7 in the first innings. Reduced to 86/5 in 14 overs, India banked on Yusuf Pathan (33* off 17 balls) and Dhoni (30* off 20 balls) for a comeback in the death overs. Alas, a scratchy 19th over that saw Stuart Broad give away just nine runs proved fatal, as the Men in Blue would end their innings at 150/5.

2012: A RO-Bhajji special in Colombo

Defeating England was okay, but winning against the defending champions and the then-No.1-ranked T20I team was special. The victory, from India’s perspective, was a moment of pride, made even sweeter by the efforts of Rohit Sharma and Harbhajan Singh, and a cameo from current MI star Piyush Chawla. The Hitman’s unbeaten 55 paved the way for India to register 170/4 in the first innings. And when it came to the Men in Blue defending the score, Bhajji spun his way through the ENG batting order with an impressive haul of 4/12 to script a 90-run triumph for IND. PC, on his part, grabbed 2/12 that included a maiden over in his four-over spell, adding to the team's collective achievement.

2022: Two steps short of glory

Having reached the semi-finals for the fourth time in history and finishing on top of Group 2 in the Super 12, India were brimming with confidence against England. The tension was palpable as Hardik Pandya’s inspirational 33-ball 63, which came after Virat Kohli’s half-century (50 in 40 balls), elevated the Men in Blue to 168/6 after being invited to bat first. But alas, it wasn’t our day in the office as Alex Hales (86) and Jos Buttler (80) - once part of the MI Family - won the 169-run chase for England with ten wickets in hand.

Numbers checkpoint

INDvENG rivalry in T20Is

INDvENG rivalry in the T20 World Cup

Stat Nuggets

* Suryakumar Yadav's 117(55) is the second-highest score by a player against England in T20Is

* India has the highest number of players to score a century in T20Is against England: 3 - Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav