Kolkata

Sanju Samson produced the finest knock of his international career under knockout pressure, guiding India into the semifinals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 with a commanding win over two-time champions West Indies at the iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Samson’s unbeaten 97 off 50 balls came in a virtual quarter-final, anchoring a tense chase and drawing praise from former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri highlighted the batter’s calmness and control. “It is Sanju’s special today. That innings was special—his composure, calmness and the sublime touch throughout,” he said.

The knock was particularly significant given Samson’s limited opportunities earlier in the tournament. “This was not a league game, this was a knockout contest,” Shastri added, noting that while Samson’s talent has never been questioned, consistency had been the talking point. “He brought everything to the fore and made millions happy.”

Earlier, West Indies posted a competitive 195/4 after opting to bat, with contributions from Roston Chase (40), Shai Hope (32) and Shimron Hetmyer (27), before an unbroken 76-run stand between Jason Holder (37*) and Rovman Powell (34*). India’s bowling was led by Jasprit Bumrah, who returned figures of 2/36.

In reply, India steadied after an early setback, with Samson forging key partnerships with Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma to seal a five-wicket victory.

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Head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Samson’s shot selection and tempo. “He’s a world-class player. I never saw him muscling the ball—just normal cricketing shots. That’s the kind of talent he has,” Gambhir said after the win.