In a high-voltage Super 8 clash that doubled as a virtual quarterfinal, Sanju Samson delivered the performance of his career, smashing an unbeaten 97 off just 50 balls to guide India to a thrilling five-wicket victory over West Indies and book their place in the semifinals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Chasing a daunting 196 at the iconic Eden Gardens, the defending champions found themselves in early trouble after losing openers Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan inside the powerplay. But Samson, batting at No.3, took charge in trademark fashion. He brought up a blistering half-century off just 26 balls and never looked back, combining elegant drives with monstrous sixes to keep the scoreboard ticking at a required rate that hovered around 10 an over for large parts of the chase.
The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 97, striking 12 fours and 4 sixes, and in the process surpassed Virat Kohli’s previous record for the highest score by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup run-chase. His crucial partnerships – 58 with skipper Suryakumar Yadav and 42 with Tilak Varma – steadied the ship before Hardik Pandya and others provided the finishing touches. India reached the target with 4 balls and 5 wickets to spare, posting 199/5 in 19.2 overs.
West Indies, who posted a competitive 195/4 earlier in the evening, will be left ruing what could have been. Their total, built around aggressive cameos, proved just insufficient against Samson’s relentless assault.
With the win, India confirmed their spot in the last four, keeping alive their bid to defend the title they won in 2024. The BCCI’s official handle summed up the mood perfectly: “The title defence continues 🇮🇳 #TeamIndia are semi-finals bound in the #T20WorldCup.”
Samson, who has faced questions about his consistency at the international level, answered every critic in emphatic style on the grandest stage. His innings was not just match-winning; it was a statement – one that will be talked about for years in Indian cricket folklore.
India now march into the semifinals with renewed confidence, while West Indies bow out of the tournament. The stage is set for more fireworks as the Men in Blue eye a second successive T20 World Cup crown.
