Sanju Samson's 97 Steers India to Win Over West Indies and Sets Up England Semi
sanju samson produced an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls to lead India to a tense five-wicket Super 8s victory over West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, a result that confirmed the tournament co-hosts as Group 1 runners-up and set up a semi-final meeting with England in Mumbai.
Sanju Samson the match-winner
The 31-year-old batted through the chase of 196, finishing 97 not out from 50 deliveries with 12 fours and four sixes. He was present to strike the final blows, first clearing the ropes for a six and then running a four off Romario Shepherd to seal victory with four balls to spare. His innings included a loft over mid-on off his 50th delivery that effectively ended the contest and kept India in control from the middle overs.
Scoreline and key figures from Kolkata
West Indies posted 195 for 4 from their 20 overs after being put in, with Roston Chase top-scoring on 40 from 25 balls. Shimron Hetmyer made 27 and Shai Hope contributed 32 from 33 deliveries. Rovman Powell and Jason Holder finished unbeaten on 34 and 37 respectively, their late partnership adding crucial runs to reach 195-4.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah finished with two wickets for 36 runs and Jason Holder took two for 38 while bowling for West Indies in India's chase. India reached 199 for 5 in 19. 2 overs, with Tilak Varma's 27 off 15 the next highest Indian score behind Samson.
How the innings unfolded for West Indies
Roston Chase had been unexpectedly handed an opening slot, marking the first time he opened in Twenty20 internationals, and he provided impetus with aggressive partnerships of 68 off 53 with Shai Hope and 34 off 16 with Shimron Hetmyer. Jasprit Bumrah broke the flow by dismissing both Hope and Hetmyer in a single over, and then outfoxed Chase with a slower ball that led to a key dismissal. Jason Holder and Rovman Powell then added 76 off the last 35 balls to lift the total to a competitive 195-4.
Fielding lapses, tension and turning points
India's decision to insert West Indies produced a competitive total in part because of sloppy fielding: three dropped catches and a missed run-out chance blunted early pressure. Abhishek Sharma was singled out for a particularly poor fumble. The match featured tetchiness and a few cross words in the field as the co-hosts struggled to maintain the usual control.
Broader tournament impact and what comes next
The victory ensured India finished runners-up in Super 8s Group 1 behind South Africa and set up a semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, with the scheduled start time listed as 13: 30 GMT. For the third successive T20 World Cup, England and India will meet in the semi-finals; in the past two tournaments the winner of their encounter went on to lift the title, with England prevailing in Adelaide in 2022 and losing in Guyana two years ago.
Elsewhere in the tournament, South Africa sealed top spot in Group 1 by defeating Zimbabwe by five wickets in Delhi, setting up a semi-final clash with New Zealand, who finished as runners-up in England's Super 8s group. South Africa and New Zealand had already met in the first group stage, where South Africa won by seven wickets to extend a 100% record against the Black Caps in five T20 World Cup meetings, despite not having faced each other for 12 years prior to this tournament.
Venue uncertainty and schedule notes
Venue planning had been uncertain earlier in the weekend, with the possibility of relocating a semi-final or the final to Colombo extinguished after Pakistan won by only five runs in a match where they needed an emphatic victory over Sri Lanka. Tickets for fixtures had gone on sale only last Tuesday in the midst of the uncertainty, and sales were launched for two finals to be held in two different countries. England completed their final Super 8s fixture on Friday and then spent two days in Colombo awaiting confirmation on where their semi-final would be played, a delay extended by the decision not to schedule the final round of group fixtures simultaneously and instead spread primetime slots over three days.
sanju samson's composed, chanceless century-plus approach in the chase — ultimately a 97 not out — proved the decisive factor in a match that doubled as a knockout moment and that propels India into a high-stakes semi-final in Mumbai.
