T20 World Cup 2026: Jacob Bethell joins Chris Gayle in unenviable list after century against India in semi-final

Despite a career-defining hundred from Jacob Bethell in the T20 World Cup semi-final against India, the 22-year-old has joined Chris Gayle and Canada’s Yuvraj Samra to form part of an unenviable list in the history of the competition. The trio now holds the unfortunate feat of scoring a century in a losing cause at the T20 World Cup.

Bethell scored his maiden T20I hundred against India in the semi-finals. Chasing 254, the 22-year-old scored 105 from 48 deliveries to give England hope. In the end, the Three Lions suffered a narrow seven-run defeat at the Wankhede Stadium to crash out of the tournament. 

Bethell, however, is not the only left-handed batter to have a triple digit score and yet end up on the losing side in the competition. T20 great Gayle recorded thes unlucky feat in the inaugural T20 World Cup game back in 2007 against hosts South Africa. 

Gayle opened the innings in Johannesburg on September 11, 2007, and scored 117 from 57 deliveries to take his side to 205 from their quota of 20 overs. The ‘Universe Boss’ thus also became the first player to record a century in T20 Internationals. Hosts South Africa, however, would go on to win the game by eight wickets and 14 balls to spare thanks to Herschelle Gibbs’ unbeaten 90.

The 2026 T20 World Cup has seen this unwanted feat twice. Prior to Bethell’s heroics in Mumbai, Canada’s Yuvraj Samra, yet another left-handed batter, had the same misfortune against New Zealand in the Group Stage.

Samra became the youngest batter to record a century in the T20 World Cup when he scored 110 against the Kiwis in Chennai. Canada, however, lost that game by eight wickets. 

Bethell has now scored a century in each format of the game

A century against India meant that Bethell has become the youngest England batter to record a hundred in all three formats of the game. 

The Warwickshire youngster scored his maiden international ton against South Africa in a One Day International (ODI) in September 2025. He would then go on to score his first Test hundred against Australia in the 2025-26 Ashes at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). 

It is worth mentioning that Bethell also became the youngest player to captain England when he led the team during a T20I series against Ireland in September 2025.