England captain Harry Brook admitted that his dropped catch of Sanju Samson proved costly after England fell agonisingly short by seven runs in the T20 World Cup semi-final against India at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Brook put down Samson when he was on 15, a moment that came back to haunt England as the Indian wicketkeeper-batter went on to play a match-defining knock of 89.
“Catchers win matches, don’t they?” Brook said after the defeat in the post-match press conference. “Unfortunately, it didn’t stay in my hands. It’s just one of those things. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch it. He played a very good innings as well and arguably won them the game.”
The England skipper admitted the missed opportunity stayed on his mind as Samson continued to build his innings.
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“Yeah, obviously it’s in the back of your mind. I kept on looking at the scoreboard, and he was piling the runs on,” Brook said. “I was like, I’m going to have to get 89 tonight. Yeah, it’s not ideal, but it’s happened now.”
Ohhhhh, Harry Brook! 😳
Sanju Samson makes the most of the lifeline and sends it into the stands! 🚀
ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | Semi-final 2 | #INDvENG | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/L2OuYBUDbL pic.twitter.com/zOWfIEAdUv
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 5, 2026
Samson’s innings ultimately set the platform for India’s total of 253/7 in 20 overs, leaving England with a daunting chase. Despite the pressure, England remained in the contest deep into the game thanks largely to a fearless counterattack from Jacob Bethell, who played one of the standout knocks of the tournament, making 105 off 48 balls.
Brook was full of praise for the young left-hander, highlighting how Bethell thrived in a high-pressure situation against a strong Indian attack.
“Yes, absolutely. He’s a phenomenal player, as we’ve seen tonight in a high-pressure situation against India on their home turf as well,” Brook said. “The way that he played that innings there was just phenomenal. Again, he should be extremely proud of what he’s done tonight and this whole winter, and even into the back end of our summer, he’s been unbelievable.”
“He’s going to have a hell of a career with England, and I’m looking forward to hopefully spending a lot of time with him in the future,” he added.
India eventually tightened their grip in the end overs, with Jasprit Bumrah once again proving decisive with the ball. Brook acknowledged the challenge of facing Bumrah and also praised India’s fielding effort on the night.
“He’s a very good bowler, arguably the best of all time at the minute,” Brook said. “He’s been a very good bowler for a long time. The Indians fielded extremely well. That catch is arguably one of the best catches I’ve seen as well. So yeah, hats off to them.”
Brook also offered his support to the head coach, Brendon McCullum, whose position in the tournament had been questioned earlier in the T20 World Cup.
“I’ve said plenty of times that I think he’s the best head coach I’ve ever had,” Brook said. “The way that he speaks to everybody, the way that he has an aura in the dressing room, everybody looks up to him. The things that he’s done over the four years that he’s took over has changed English cricket for hopefully the best.”
When asked if he would support McCullum to continue in the role if asked for his opinion, Brook did not hesitate in answering: “125%.”
