Source espncric info
KOLKATA — Cometh the hour, cometh the man. In a high-stakes, must-win Super 8 clash at a roaring Eden Gardens, Sanju Samson played the innings of a lifetime to steer India into the semi-finals of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Chasing a daunting target of 196 against the West Indies, India looked to be in early trouble, but Samson’s breathtaking unbeaten 97 off just 50 balls guided the Men in Blue to a famous five-wicket victory with four balls to spare (19.2 overs).
A Chase for the History Books
The chase did not begin smoothly for the hosts. After losing openers Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan early, the pressure was firmly on the defending champions. However, Samson anchored the innings with immense composure before unleashing a calculated assault on the West Indian bowling attack.
Blending silken drives with audacious power-hitting, Samson smashed 12 fours and 4 towering sixes. Along the way, he shattered a massive record, surpassing Virat Kohli’s famous unbeaten 82 to register the highest individual score by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup chase.
He was ably supported by captain Suryakumar Yadav and a fiery cameo from Tilak Varma, who blitzed 27 off just 15 deliveries to keep the required run rate in check.
The Final Over Drama
With 7 runs required off the final over bowled by Romario Shepherd, Samson ensured there would be no last-minute heartbreak. He greeted the pacer with a mammoth six over square leg to level the scores, and calmly followed it up by lofting the next delivery over mid-on for a boundary. As the ball crossed the ropes, Samson dropped to one knee, looking up at the Kolkata night sky in pure relief as the stadium erupted.
West Indies Set a Formidable Target
Earlier in the evening, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl. The West Indies posted a highly competitive 195/4, thanks to a late-innings explosion.
Despite early breakthroughs by Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy that left the visitors struggling at 119/4, a blistering unbeaten 76-run stand between Jason Holder (37* off 22) and Rovman Powell (34* off 19) in the final five overs shifted the momentum heavily in favor of the Caribbean side. Powell also made history during his knock, becoming the first West Indian to hit 150 sixes in T20 Internationals.
Match Summary
West Indies: 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37*; Jasprit Bumrah 2/36)
India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97*, Tilak Varma 27; Shamar Joseph 2/42)
Result: India won by 5 wickets
Player of the Match: Sanju Samson
What’s Next?
With this clinical victory, India keeps their title defense alive and marches into the semi-finals. They are now set for a blockbuster showdown against England at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
