West Indies Vs India: Samson’s unbeaten 97 sends India into T20 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai
Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 carried India to a five-wicket victory over West Indies as the co-hosts successfully chased 196, sealing a semi-final meeting with England in Mumbai. The result leaves South Africa and New Zealand to contest the other last-four place on Wednesday at 13: 30 GMT.
West Indies Vs India — Samson’s 97 seals five-wicket chase
Chasing 196, India reached their target with four balls to spare after Sanju Samson batted through the innings to finish 97 not out, striking the winning runs by lofting his 50th delivery over mid-on. The West Indies posted 195 for four, with Darren Bravo and others contributing to a total that included Jason Holder’s 37 and Rovman Powell’s 34. Jasprit Bumrah returned figures of 2-36 for India.
Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav: captain and match-winners
Samson had been left out of the side on the eve of the tournament but was recalled after India’s heavy Super 8s defeat by South Africa. India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the team was pleased to reach the semi-finals, calling the contest a do-or-die encounter and praising the squad’s character. He emphasized the need to rest and regroup before flying to Mumbai and said players must be courageous, bring their A‑game and embrace the pressure that comes with expectation. Yadav added that Samson’s return and performance reflected hard work behind the scenes and that the way he batted was decisive for India’s victory.
West Indies innings: Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Hetmyer, Holder and Powell
West Indies were put in and were bolstered early by Roston Chase, who was opening for the first time in Twenty20 internationals. Chase combined with Shai Hope for a 68-run partnership off 53 balls and later shared 34 off 16 with Shimron Hetmyer; both partnerships helped build momentum before Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Hetmyer and another batsman in the same over. Jason Holder and Rovman Powell added 76 in the last 35 balls, lifting the total to 195-4. Hope’s individual contribution of 32 off 33 balls and a series of fielding lapses, including three dropped catches, blunted the attack’s finishing edge.
Semi-finals set: England in Mumbai; South Africa v New Zealand on Wednesday
India’s win sets up a semi-final with England in Mumbai on Thursday, marking the third consecutive T20 World Cup in which England and India meet at the semi-final stage. In the past two tournaments the winner of that encounter went on to lift the trophy; England triumphed in Adelaide in 2022 and lost in Guyana two years later. The tournament’s other semi-final will pit South Africa against New Zealand on Wednesday at 13: 30 GMT. South Africa secured top spot in their Super 8s group by beating Zimbabwe by five wickets in Delhi, and they had already beaten New Zealand in the first group stage by seven wickets, extending their 100% T20 World Cup record against the Black Caps across five encounters prior to this event.
