Sanju Samson produced a batting masterclass, just when India needed it the most and fired them into T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals after crushing West Indies by five wickets after his 97-run wizardry at the Eden Gardens stadium.
India achieved a historic milestone by successfully chasing down 196 runs with four balls to spare, marking their highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup history. Sanju Samson, a batter who has faced intense scrutiny, delivered a top notch performance, cracking an unbeaten 97 off just 50 balls. He fittingly finished the match in style, striking a six and a boundary to secure the victory for the hosts.
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Samson openly credits Dhoni, Kohli, Rohit after 97-run heroics
Right after the match, Samson credited MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as he stated he learned a lot from them which helped him immensely.
"[On approaching the knock] I've been playing this format for many years. Learned from a lot of greats like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni. That helped with my experience. I've noticed how the greats play, and seeing how they change their game according to situations," Samson, who was adjudged the player of the match, said at the post-match press conference.
"[On what does the knock mean to you?] It means the whole world to me. Right from the day I started playing, started dreaming of playing for the country, this is the knock I was waiting for. Had a very special journey. Had a lot of ups and downs. kept doubting myself, thinking will I make it? But I am thankful to the almighty for blessing me today. Last game we were batting first so i was going from ball one, but this game it was different. Every time I tried to go too high we were losing wickets. Didn't think I would play this special knock ,but yeah this is one of the greatest days of my life. Just stayed in the present, played the ball on the merit," he added.
India down West Indies to face England in T20 World Cup semis
West Indies innings began strongly after being asked to bat first by Suryakumar Yadav, built upon a solid 68-run opening stand between Shai Hope (32) and Roston Chase (36). Although India's spinners, led by Varun Chakaravarthy, managed to tighten the scoring during the middle overs, the game swung dramatically in the final stages. Rovman Powell and Jason Holder launched a brutal counterattack, stitching together an unbeaten 76-run partnership off only 35 balls for the fifth wicket.
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Powell, reaching a personal milestone of 150 T20I sixes, tore into Arshdeep Singh during a pivotal 24-run over, while Holder provided the necessary finishing thrust. The West Indies efficiently plundered 70 runs in the last five overs alone, posting a daunting total of 195/4 that required a record-breaking effort from India to overcome. Men in Blue took up the challenge and knocked out West Indies to make space for them in the T20 World Cup semifinals, where they will face England on March 5 in Mumbai.