A masterclass 97 not out from Sanju Samson carried India to a five-wicket victory over West Indies in a high-pressure Super Eight clash at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, sealing a semifinal berth in the ICC T20 World Cup.
Chasing 196 in a virtual quarterfinal on Sunday, India were wobbling at 41/2 inside the powerplay before Samson produced one of the finest knocks of his T20I career, finishing unbeaten on 97 from 50 balls, striking 12 fours and four sixes.
India reached 199/5 in 19.2 overs to book a last-four clash against England in Mumbai on March 5.
The win capped a night of fluctuating momentum. West Indies had earlier posted a competitive 195/4, lifted by a late 76-run partnership between Jason Holder and Rovman Powell.
Holder’s unbeaten 37 from 22 balls and Powell’s 34 off 19 gave the Caribbean side a powerful finish after India’s bowlers had dragged things back in the middle overs. Jasprit Bumrah’s twin strikes, removing Shimron Hetmyer and Roston Chase in the same over, had briefly tilted the contest India’s way, reducing West Indies to 103/3.
But Powell’s late assault, including a 24-run over off Arshdeep Singh, ensured the target would test India’s nerve.
India’s reply began briskly, but Akael Hosein removed Abhishek Sharma for 10, and Shimron Hetmyer held a sharp catch to dismiss Ishan Kishan for 10, leaving India under early pressure.
Samson counterattacked. He hammered Hosein for two sixes and a four in the third over, then found gaps with precision as India closed the powerplay at 53/2. Alongside skipper Suryakumar Yadav, he brought up a 50-run stand in just 27 balls, reaching his half-century in 26 deliveries.
When Suryakumar fell for 18 to Shamar Joseph, India were 99/3, still needing acceleration. Tilak Varma provided crucial support, smashing 27 from 15 balls in a 42-run partnership with Samson. The duo targeted the spinners and pace alike, with Tilak striking a sequence of boundaries to ease mounting pressure.
Holder returned to break the stand, and Hardik Pandya’s cameo of 17 ended when he was caught in the deep. At 179/5 in the 19th over, India still required composure.
Samson delivered it. He launched Romario Shepherd over deep mid-wicket for six in the penultimate over before driving a boundary to seal the contest, finishing unbeaten on 97 and raising his bat to a roaring Eden Gardens crowd.
Earlier, West Indies’ innings had begun steadily. Shai Hope and Roston Chase navigated the powerplay before Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed Hope. Bumrah’s incisive spell turned the tide, but Holder and Powell’s late surge restored parity, taking West Indies to a formidable total.
After the match, an emotional Samson described the innings as the culmination of years of persistence.
“It means the whole world to me,” he said.
“Right from the day I started dreaming of playing for the country, this is the day I was waiting for.
I have had lots of ups and downs, kept doubting myself, asking, ‘can I make it?’ But I kept believing.”
Samson also credited observing senior players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for shaping his approach.
“I might have played 50 or 60 games, but I have watched hundreds. Watching how the greats finish games, how they adapt — that helped me today.
I was just focusing one ball at a time and building partnerships.”
India now move to Mumbai with momentum and belief, powered by a knock that may well be remembered as the innings that revived Samson’s international career and propelled India into the final four.
Brief scores:
West Indies 195/4 (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37*; Jasprit Bumrah 2/36)
India 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97*, Tilak Varma 27; Jason Holder 2/38)
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