Samson’s Masterclass Powers India into Semi-Final; Clinical Chase Downs West Indies in Kolkata

March 02, 2026: India defeated West Indies by five wickets to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026. In the David vs Goliath clash, which West Indies coach Daren Sammy mentioned earlier, Sanju Samson switched to clutch mode and finished the job for the hosts at Eden Gardens. After losing the early wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, the wicketkeeper-batter showed good patience and played sensible shots.

Samson scored 97 runs off 50 balls and helped India chase 196. India will now face England at the Wankhede Stadium to try to reach the final. Although India won the match, some problems remained. Abhishek Sharma’s form continued to worry the team as he scored only 10 runs from 11 balls.

Abhishek’s shot selection was also questioned. In the third over, when Samson had already scored 17, there was no need for Abhishek to play a risky shot on the last ball. However, he tried and got out to Akeal Hosein, with Shimron Hetmyer taking a simple catch. His fielding also drew criticism as he dropped two easy catches during the match.

India are through to the #T20WorldCup semi-finals ✨ pic.twitter.com/431RyYOLqw

— ICC (@ICC) March 1, 2026

India seal the #T20WorldCup 2026 semi-final spot with an emphatic victory over West Indies 👏

📝: https://t.co/NqHEWKEn3o pic.twitter.com/65lPlOmjkm

— ICC (@ICC) March 1, 2026

Samson Leads India’s Chase

With Abhishek and Kishan out early, Samson took responsibility and controlled the chase. When West Indies brought Hosein to bowl in the powerplay, the CSK star hit two sixes and a boundary in a 17-run over. After the early wickets, India reached 53/2 and started rebuilding the innings.

Samson later attacked Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie with boundaries. He also hit a six and a four against Romario Shepherd. Samson reached 97 runs in 26 balls and received strong applause from the crowd and the dressing room.

India’s bowling was not very consistent. The team failed to take early wickets in the powerplay and also struggled in the death overs. Jasprit Bumrah was the best bowler with two wickets for 36 runs in four overs. Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy conceded 40 runs in his four overs.

Without Samson’s knock, the match could have gone in West Indies’ favour. His innings was like a knockout punch in boxing. This also became India’s highest successful chase in T20 World Cup history. The previous best was chasing 174 runs against South Africa in Mirpur.

Samson said after the match, “It means the world to me. From the day I started playing, I dreamed of playing for my country. This was the day I was waiting for. I am grateful to God for this opportunity. My journey had many ups and downs, but I kept believing in myself.”

As the winning runs were scored, Samson fell to his knees in emotional celebration. His ability to accelerate at the right moments and guide the lower order helped India stay in control.

He also said, “I have played this format for a long time. I have been in IPL for 10–12 years and with the national team for around 10 years. I may have played fewer matches, but I have watched many games and learned from great players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Observation and experience help me finish matches.”

Brief Score:
India – 199/5 (19.2 overs)
West Indies – 195/4 (20 overs)
Result – India won by 5 wickets