Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) England batter Jacob Bethell was left disappointed after his brilliant century went in vain, calling “it a tough pill to swallow” as England lost to India in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

Despite the defeat, Bethell created history by scoring the second-fastest century in T20 World Cup history. The 22-year-old left-hander reached the milestone in just 45 balls.

Bethell now has centuries in all three formats for England. Earlier this year, he had scored a hundred against Australia in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, though England had lost that match as well.

Reflecting on both centuries coming in the losing cause, Bethell said, “Yeah, I think they’re not comparable, really. The skills and the kind of mentality and thinking are different between the two of them. Both feelings are pretty good. But both of them have come in losing causes, which is a weird feeling. You know, cricket’s a cruel game. Personal performances don’t always solidify into team performances. So both of those are tough pills to swallow,” Bethell said after the match.

Bethell also praised Axar Patel’s fielding effort, saying the two catches of Harry Brook and Will Jacks proved to be a turning point in the match.

“I think that Brookie catch, it was a good catch. But the game was far more, far apart at that point. But to do it under the pressure when me and Jacksy had that partnership going, really, was a dagger to us,” he said.

“I think you look at it in a broader expanse of the game. If Jacky’s was there in the next over when Bumrah was bowling, we must have put more pressure on him and then we don’t have to get 30 off the last. I think that definitely changed the complexion of the game and fair play to him. They were two hell of a catch,” he added.

–IANS

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