India beat West Indies by five wickets to enter T20 World Cup semifinals | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News
Samson’s 97 Not Out Leads India to T20 World Cup Semifinal with Victory Over West Indies
KOLKATA — Sanju Samson delivered an impressive performance, scoring an unbeaten 97 to guide India to a five-wicket victory over the West Indies in the T20 World Cup. The match, held Sunday at Eden Gardens, allowed India to secure a spot in the semifinals against England.
Returning to the lineup after being excluded from the previous three matches, Samson’s innings was pivotal as he stood alone among Indian batters, with no other player exceeding 30 runs. This accomplishment marked the highest score by an Indian in a World Cup run chase, surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous record of 82.
The outcome of the Super Eights match confirmed India’s position in the upcoming semifinal, scheduled for Thursday in Mumbai against England. New Zealand will face South Africa in the first semifinal on Wednesday.
After the early dismissal of Abhishek Sharma in the third over, Samson calmly took charge of the innings, achieving regular boundaries within his 50-ball effort that included 12 fours and four sixes. His notable partnerships included a significant 42-run collaboration with Tilak Varma, who contributed 27 runs off 15 balls.
Contributions from captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, scoring 18 and 17 respectively, helped set a competitive target, which was reached with two boundaries struck by Samson in the final over.
On the West Indies side, pacers Shamar Joseph and Jason Holder each claimed two wickets, but struggled to contain the flow of runs, particularly from Samson.
Earlier in the match, the West Indies got off to a strong start with a 68-run opening partnership between captain Shai Hope and Roston Chase. Chase’s aggressive 40 off 25 balls set the tone, although Hope managed just 32 before being replaced by Shimron Hetmyer, who quickly added 27 runs.
Despite a promising position at 119-4 in the 15th over, a late surge from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder raised the West Indies’ total to 195. Powell finished not out on 34, while Holder contributed 37 from 22 balls.
Bumrah was the standout bowler for India, claiming two wickets in four overs, supported by Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy, who secured the other wickets.
As India celebrates its advancement in the tournament, the attention now turns to the upcoming semifinal against a strong English side.
