Sanju Samson turned Eden Gardens into his personal stage, bludgeoning an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls with 12 fours and 4 sixes to eclipse Virat Kohli’s T20 World Cup chase record and fire India into the 2026 semifinals via a 5-wicket demolition of West Indies.
Needing 196, India reached the target in 19.2 overs despite losing half their side. Samson anchored the innings, sharing a vital 58-run alliance with skipper Hardik Pandya, and finished with a match-winning boundary off Shepherd. This propels India to their sixth T20 WC semifinal.
Kohli’s previous highs—82* vs Australia (2016) and Pakistan (2022)—now take a backseat. Samson’s innings slots in as India’s No.2 T20 WC score. Tilak Varma (27) and Pandya (17) played handy roles.
Earlier, West Indies tallied 195/4: Chase 40 (25), Powell 34* (19), Holder 37* (22, 2×4, 3×6). Their campaign concludes here.
Facing England on March 5, India rides high on Samson’s heroics. From IPL fireworks to global glory, the Kerala dasher proves he’s ready for the big league, redefining chase mastery.