Sanju Samson celebrates his half-century during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI photo) TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: Moments after reaching the winning boundary, Sanju Samson took off his helmet and went down on his knees to thank the almighty. The right-hander, who fired India into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup with a breathtaking knock, was relieved. Even before the crowd could catch the winning moments, she played “Vande Mataram” at full blast as the Indian dugout stormed out to celebrate what was a superb run under pressure. “Lehra Do” was next and the laser lights joined the act as the announcer drew the crowd. The party in Kolkata only started after India (199/5) bowled out West Indies (195/4) by four deliveries. Even a week ago in Ahmedabad, Sanju Samson was nowhere near the playing eleven as India were content with two left-handers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma as their two openers. However, the consistent off-spin threat that led to early wickets forced the think-tank to overhaul its strategy and bring Samson, a right-hander, back to the top of the order. He lost his place to the in-form Kishan, but a tactical call forced the left-hander to drop to No.3 and the lefty was reinstated.
Sanju Samson becomes the darling of Eden Gardens | T20 World Cup
The move worked in the must-win game against Zimbabwe in Chennai earlier this week as it not only gave India a flying start but also staved off spin. Although spin was introduced early in Kolkata and India lost two early wickets, Samson unlocked his maximum potential when the team’s backs were against the wall. Chasing a tight target, the right-hander played a memorable knock to help India advance to the semi-finals of the multi-nation tournament. He rode well, cut wildly and showed great temperament in front of a large crowd at Eden Gardens. Step or spin, Samson took them with confidence and never lost shape. He hit the ball where it was meant to be hit, but his ice-cold nerves stood out during his 50-ball 97*, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes.The pitch was much dewy, and the absence of demons made batting less difficult; however, the pressure on the board in the virtual quarterfinals made it a daunting task. The wickets falling from the other end did not change Samson’s approach; continued his healthy strike rate and kept the desired rate under control. The partnership with Suryakumar Yadav started the chase for the first wickets and gave it the much needed push thanks to a fresh stand of 42 runs, off just 26 balls, with Tilak Varma.
Sanju Samson plays a shot during the T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 1 match against West Indies at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. (OR)
When Hardik Pandya stepped in for Samson, the equation was in check: 55 runs needed off 32 balls. After batting followed, India controlled the game from that point on. Samson and Pandya put India within striking distance of victory, with Samson helping India cross the line with five wickets in hand.Earlier, after electing to field first, India’s fielding was a big disappointment and the group let the bowlers down in excellent batting conditions. Three fielding error boundaries, two dropped catches and one missed opportunity cost India dearly as they were unable to anchor the high-flying West Indies batting line-up with regular breakthroughs. The situation at half-time was not alarming as the bowlers kept the score at 82/1. The scoreboard could have been a lot worse had they seized and taken the opportunity that came their way, but it was far from panicky.Both Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy had three overs to spare and Suryakumar Yadav’s clever bowling changes gave India a tactical advantage going into the second half of the innings. West Indies signaled intent as they took 17 runs off Chakaravarthy’s second over. The body language dropped briefly as Eden Gardens was about to explode in the 12th over, boomrah.
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Roston Chase during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and West Indies in Kolkata. (AP)
Two wickets, including that of the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, sent the crowd roaring and chants of “Boom Boom Bumrah” echoed through the stands every time the bowler topped his mark. He had the match advantage over the left-hander and dismissed him in just two deliveries, adding another wicket with a slower ball that perfectly fooled the well-set Roston Chase. From 102/1, the score became 103/3 in a matter of deliveries and India did what assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate expected: fight fire with fire.When the hosts touched down at the last drinks break of the innings at the end of the 14th over, the scoreboard read a controlled 119/3 but India still had to get Hardik Pandya out of the way. At the break, head coach Gautam Gambhir went straight to the all-rounder and discussed the angle he could explore against Sherfane Rutherford. Pandya executed the plan perfectly, dismissing the left-hander off the first delivery to put India in a commanding position.125/4 with just five to play was not a bad position, especially with four overs remaining from Bumrah and Arshdeep and one from Chakarvarthy. A thick dew began to settle, but one would root for them to pull through in those crisis situations.
West Indies’ Rovman Powell and Jason Holder clash between the wickets during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Group 1 match against India at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday. (OR)
What unfolded in the next five overs, however, was a very deliberate muscular attack by Rovman Powell and Jason Holder; they combined to add 70 runs in the next 30 deliveries, removing Bumrah, Arshdeep and Chakarvarthy in the process.Bumrah conceded 26 runs in his last two overs, Chakarvarthy 14 and Arshdeep escaped with 30 in his remaining two overs. The 16th over, bowled by Arshdeep, moved towards the West Indies as 24 runs came off it. The left-armer looked out of place, conceding two sixes, five wides and two extras, causing the shoulders to drop in the field. Bumrah gave his all in the two remaining overs and his reaction after Varun dropped the ball for a boundary summed up the fielding’s overall performance. Which was a big disappointment on their biggest night of the tournament so far.But a special Samson patched up all the cracks to book a semi-final date with England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.Quick Score: West Indies 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37, Rovman Powell 34; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36)India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97; Jason Holder 2-38)
