A magnificent unbeaten 97 off 50 balls from Sanju Samson powered the India national cricket team to a thrilling five-wicket victory over the West Indies national cricket team in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Chasing a challenging 196-run target, India completed the chase with four balls to spare, finishing on 199/5 in 19.2 overs to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Earlier, West Indies posted a competitive 195/4 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first. The Caribbean side built a solid platform through Roston Chase and Shai Hope, before a late surge from Jason Holder and Rovman Powell, whose unbeaten 76-run partnership for the fifth wicket lifted the total close to 200.
India’s chase had early setbacks, but Samson produced a composed and aggressive innings, striking boundaries at crucial moments and rotating the strike smartly. His knock came at a strike rate close to 194, keeping India in control of the chase. Samson also received late support from Shivam Dube, who played a quick cameo as India surged past the target.
The victory was significant as India had never previously chased a target of 190 or more in T20 World Cup history, making the chase of 196 one of their biggest in the tournament.
With this crucial win, India booked their place in the semi-finals of the tournament, keeping their title hopes alive, while West Indies were knocked out after a fiercely contested encounter in Kolkata.
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