Sanju Samson's 97 sends India past West Indies to set up England semi

Emerson Raymont

Published: March 2, 2026 4:12 AM ET

Sanju Samson's 97 sends India past West Indies to set up England semi

sanju samson finished unbeaten on 97 as India edged past West Indies by five wickets in a winner-takes-all Super 8s clash at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, a result that sends the co-hosts into a semi-final against England in Mumbai. The innings ended a tense night in which fielding lapses and late West Indies hitting set up a dramatic run-chase.

Scoreboard and match setting in Kolkata's Super 8s Group 1

Men's T20 World Cup, Super 8s Group 1 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata saw West Indies post 195-4 in their 20 overs. The scoreboard lists West Indies 195-4 (20 overs): Roston Chase 40; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36. India replied 199-5 in 19. 2 overs with the official line India 199-5 (19. 2 overs): Samson 97*; Holder 2-38. The chase of 196 finished with India over the line and recorded as a five-wicket victory.

Sanju Samson's return and the winning blows

Sanju Samson batted through India’s reply, finishing unbeaten on 97 off 50 balls. His knock included 12 fours and four sixes, and he struck the winning runs by lifting his 50th delivery over mid-on and by hitting a six followed by a four off Romario Shepherd to get India over the line with four balls to spare. The innings came after Samson had been out of the side on the eve of the tournament but was recalled following India’s Super 8s defeat by South Africa.

Early stability and late West Indies resistance

West Indies were put in to bat and Roston Chase, opening for the first time in Twenty20 internationals, provided early stability. He top-scored with 40 off 25 while pairing in partnerships of 68 off 53 with Shai Hope and 34 off 16 with Shimron Hetmyer. Jasprit Bumrah removed both Hope and Hetmyer in a single over, outfoxing Chase with a slower ball before snaring Shimron Hetmyer for 27 with a delivery that angled across and took a thin edge.

Late hitting, unbeaten knocks and fielding errors

Rovman Powell and Jason Holder revived the West Indies innings by adding 76 off the last 35 balls; -style figures show unbeaten knocks recorded as 34 and 37 respectively. India’s fielding was described as sloppy after inserting the West Indies: the side dropped three catches, with Abhishek Sharma singled out for one particularly poor fumble, and there was also a missed run-out chance. Shai Hope’s innings of 32 off 33 was noted as a pedestrian contribution amid those errors.

Supporting contributions for India and historical chase note

Tilak Varma’s 27 off 15 was the next highest score for India after sanju samson, underlining how Samson held the reply together. The match also noted a historical detail: India had never before chased more than 173 to win a World Cup match in the 20-over format, making this successful chase of 196 a significant moment for the co-hosts.

Semi-final draw, tournament picture and venue uncertainty

The victory ensured India claimed the runners-up spot in Group 1 behind South Africa and set up a semi-final meeting with Group 2 winners England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (13: 30 GMT). For the third time in three T20 World Cups, England will meet India in the semi-finals; in the past two tournaments the team that prevailed in that contest went on to win the title, with England prevailing in Adelaide in 2022 and losing in Guyana two years earlier.

The other semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday between New Zealand, runners-up in England’s Super 8s group, and South Africa, who sealed top spot in theirs by defeating Zimbabwe by five wickets in Delhi. South Africa had earlier beaten New Zealand in the first group stage by seven wickets, continuing a 100% record against the Black Caps in five T20 World Cup encounters, though the teams had not met in 12 years before this tournament.

Off the field there was late uncertainty about venues: the possibility of relocating a semi-final, and potentially the final, to Colombo was extinguished when Pakistan, who needed to beat Sri Lanka emphatically, won by only five runs. Tickets for fixtures had gone on sale only last Tuesday and, at less than two weeks’ notice, sales were also launched for two finals in two countries. England completed their last Super 8s fixture on Friday and then spent two days waiting in Colombo for confirmation of where their semi-final would be played. The International Cricket Council's decision not to schedule the final round of fixtures simultaneously stretched those games over three days. It may irritate some that India had the advantage of knowing only a reunion with Pakistan could have diverted their semi-final from Mumbai, but not every aspect of co-hosting has been to their benefit.