Bethell’s Maiden T20 Century Not Enough as England Exit World Cup

England’s young batting star Jacob Bethell described his side’s semi-final exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as a “tough pill to swallow” after producing a stunning maiden century in the format during a record-breaking clash against India in Mumbai. Despite Bethell’s remarkable performance with the bat, England were unable to chase down the massive target set by India, bringing their World Cup campaign to an end.

The 22-year-old delivered a sensational knock under pressure, reaching his first T20 international hundred in just 45 balls. It marked another milestone in what has been a rapid rise for the talented batter, who only broke into the England side towards the end of 2024. With this century, Bethell became just the fourth English player to score hundreds in all three international formats, joining an elite group that recently included teammate Harry Brook.

Bethell admitted he had always believed he was capable of achieving the milestone, even joking with Brook about who would reach the landmark first. While Brook managed to complete the feat earlier with a memorable innings against Pakistan, Bethell eventually followed with his own spectacular century in the T20 format. However, the young star acknowledged that Brook would always hold the advantage because his achievement came in a winning cause.

Reflecting on the match, Bethell said the defeat was difficult to accept because of how well England fought during the chase. India had earlier posted a daunting total of 253, setting up one of the highest-scoring games in T20 World Cup history. Despite the challenge, Bethell said the mood in the England dressing room during the innings break remained positive and confident. Players stayed relaxed, music was playing, and the team believed they had a real chance of pulling off a remarkable run chase.

The century also added to Bethell’s growing list of memorable performances in international cricket. Earlier this year he scored his maiden first-class hundred during the Ashes Test in Sydney, producing an impressive 154 in the second innings. However, similar to his T20 century in Mumbai, that innings also came in a losing cause as Australia went on to win the match. Bethell admitted it felt unusual to deliver such personal milestones in games that ended in defeat, highlighting the unpredictable nature of cricket where individual brilliance does not always translate into team success.

After a long international season, Bethell will now have only a short break before heading to India for the upcoming Indian Premier League. He is set to join Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with the tournament schedule expected to be released soon. Despite the disappointment of the World Cup exit, Bethell remains optimistic about the future, saying the past six to seven months have helped his game evolve significantly and he hopes to continue improving in the next phase of his career.