India roared into the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2026 following a five-wicket win over West Indies in a Super 8 match at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Sunday. Opener Sanju Samson was the star of the day, as he slammed an unbeaten 97 from just 50 balls to power the Men in Blue into the last four.
Coming into the game on the back of limited opportunities, Samson rose above all when it mattered the most. Prior to this game, the Kerala batter managed to score just 24 runs from 15 balls against Zimbabwe. He had scored 22 against Namibia in the group stages.
A calm customer under pressure, Samson’s knock on Sunday consisted of 12 fours and four sixes, as he forged crucial partnerships with Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya en route to India’s win.
Chasing West Indies’s 195/4, India were off to a disastrous start, losing Abhishek Sharma (10) and Ishan Kishan (10) early. However, Samson revived the sinking ship with a game-changing 58-run partnership for the third wicket with skipper Suryakumar. The Indian captain, though, was a shadow of himself as he failed to convert a start yet again.
Despite the wicket of Suryakumar, the Men in Blue believed that they could go all the way. With the score reading 99/3 in the 11th over, it was the small contributions that made the difference as Tilak Varma (27 off 15), Hardik Pandya (17 off 14) and Shivam Dube (8 not out) made it count as India romped home with four balls to spare.
For Samson, this was a knock wherein he once again gave a timely reminder to the critics who have questioned him. Some of his fans even went as far as comparing him with the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Here are a few reactions:
Legendary praise for Sanju Samson
While everybody compared Samson with Tendulkar, the legend himself heaped high praise for the India opener. “Semi-final spot on the line, and the boys handled it beautifully! Handling the final overs well in both innings gave us the edge. Sanju Samson’s calm presence at the crease was wonderful to watch. That kind of presence lifts a side. Brilliant effort from everyone,” Tendulkar wrote on X.
Who will India face in semifinals?
India will take on England in the second semifinal in Mumbai on Thursday. Should they win that match, the defending champions will take on the winner of South Africa vs New Zealand in the final on 8 March.
