India beat West Indies by 5 wickets to reach ICC T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals
Sanju Samson smashed 97* off 50 balls
Suryakumar Yadav's Men in Blue will face England in the semi-final
Indian wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson responded to all his critics in style with a magnificent 97-run knock to help India prevail against the West Indies in their final Super 8 match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
This victory not only helped India avenge their 2016 loss against the Windies, but also sealed a record 6th qualification to the semi-final stages.
Samson, who became the 2nd highest individual scorer for India at T20 World Cups yesterday (March 1), scored a six and a four to guide the Men in Blue towards a 5-wicket win in what was a virtual quarter-final at the Eden Gardens.
India had won the toss and bowled first against a side that was equally hurt after a battering from the hands of South Africa.
With both sides only needing a win to go through, West Indies posted a formidable total of 195/4, thanks to the thirties from skipper Shai Hope, Rovman Powell and Jason Holder and Roston Chase's 25-ball 40.
In response, India again had a top-order collapse with Abhishek Sharma (10), Ishan Kishan (10) and Suryakumar Yadav (18) scoring amassing only 38 runs together. Tilak Varma, from number 5, scored 27 off 15, but more importantly stitched a vital partnership with Sanju Samson.
Then after Hardik Pandya's dismissal for 17 off 14, Shivam Dube watched Sanju finish off the match with back-to-back boundaries with Indian fans erupting with joy inside the Eden Gardens.
For his hard fought 97*, Sanju Samson was adjudged man of the match. His masterclass ranks easily among the greatest in T20 World Cup history and it also helped him overtake the great Rohit Sharma in an exclusive record-breaking club.
Highest Individual Scores For India In T20 World Cups
| Batsman | Runs | Opposition | T20 WC Edition |
| Suresh Raina | 101 | South Africa | 2010 |
| Sanju Samson | 97* | West Indies | 2026 |
| Rohit Sharma | 92 | Australia | 2024 |
| Virat Kohli | 89* | West Indies | 2016 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 84* | USA | 2026 |
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: When Is India's Semi-Final Match?
India's record 6th semi-final appearance at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will see them lock horns with another 2-time champions England on Thursday (March 5) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
