In a thrilling, nerve-wracking Super 8 clash where only the winner will advance to the semis, India edged out the West Indies by five wickets to register their name in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals. West Indies set a stiff target of 196 in a crowd-packed Eden Gardens, India managed to score the winning runs with four balls remaining largely due to Sanju Samson‘s unprecedented performance.
Match Summary: A High-Octane Chase
The West Indies were able to put up a competitive 195/4 after being sent in to bat. They were helped by the solid opening partnership of 68 runs between Roston Chase (40) and Shai Hope (32). A couple of wickets in quick succession courtesy to Jasprit Bumrah left the West Indies middle order in a bit of a tangle. Nevertheless, the final innings assault from Rovman Powell (34)* and Jason Holder (37)*, who put together 76 runs off the last six overs and took the total to 196 runs.
India initiated their reply on a positive note but lost two wickets within the space of five overs to find themselves at 41/2. The two wickets were the openers Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan who both scored very little before getting out. That said, Sanju Samson after being promoted in the batting order took charge of the situation by mixing his game smartly with glimpses of brilliance through fine driving of the cricket ball until the very end.
Key Player Performances
Samson’s record-breaking innings will be the highlight of this match and one of the main reasons why it will be remembered for a long time. The batter not only proved his critics wrong but also changed the record books.
- Sanju Samson (97 off 50 balls): By smashing 12 fours and 4 sixes, Samson set a new record for the highest score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup run-chase, surpassing the famous 82* of Virat Kohli. He sealed the match with a classy boundary off Romario Shepherd.
- Jasprit Bumrah (2/36): The pacer was the most economical player for India as he got rid of the two most dangerous West Indies batsmen, thus the game changed to Indias favor and the Caribbean power became subdued.
- Tilak Varma & Suryakumar Yadav: Tactical innings of Varma (27 off 15) and the captain Suryakumar Yadav were crucial in controlling the situation and keeping the run rate at a doable level.
- Jason Holder (37 & 2/38): Even though the total was not defended, Holder was the Star player for the West Indies contributing with both bat and ball.
The Road to the Finals
With this victory, India finishes as the runner-up in Group 1, behind an unbeaten South Africa. The defending champions are now set for a blockbuster semi-final clash:
| Match | Date | Venue |
| India vs. England | March 5, 2026 | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| South Africa vs. New Zealand | March 4, 2026 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
The Final of the tournament is scheduled to take place on March 8, 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
