India storms into the semis, beat West Indies by 5 wickets; Sanju Samson smashes unbeaten 97(50)

In a high-stakes encounter at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, India secured their spot in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals with a thrilling five-wicket victory over the West Indies. Chasing a daunting target of 196 in what was effectively a virtual quarterfinal, the "Men in Blue" scripted their highest-ever successful chase in T20 World Cup history. The hero of the night was Sanju Samson, who silenced his critics with a magnificent, unbeaten 97 off just 50 balls, guiding India home with four balls to spare amidst a roar of home support.

Earlier in the evening, the West Indies posted a formidable 195/4 after being put into bat. A solid 68-run opening stand between Shai Hope and Roston Chase set the foundation, while a late-innings explosion from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder added 76 runs in just 35 balls. Jasprit Bumrah was the standout performer with the ball for India, claiming two wickets in a single over to briefly stall the Caribbean momentum, though several dropped catches in the field allowed the visitors to reach a near-200 total.

India’s chase began precariously as openers Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan fell early, leaving the team at 53/2 at the end of the powerplay. However, Samson took charge, forging crucial partnerships with Suryakumar Yadav and later Tilak Varma. Despite the fall of wickets at the other end, Samson remained composed, surpassing Virat Kohli's record for the highest individual score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup chase. His innings was punctuated by 9 boundaries and 6 towering sixes, turning the game back in India's favor during the middle overs.

The final moments saw some tension when Hardik Pandya fell in the penultimate over, but Samson’s calm demeanor ensured there were no further hiccups. He finished the game in style, smashing a boundary to seal the win and remain stranded just three runs short of a century. India will now move on to face England in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, having successfully avenged their 2016 semifinal loss to the West Indies.