Sanju Samson’s 97* Sends India Into T20 World Cup 2026 Semifinals

Sanju Samson delivered the innings of his life, scoring an unbeaten 97 to power India into the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals with a dramatic four-ball win over West Indies at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. Chasing a daunting 196, India stumbled early, losing Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma inside the powerplay, but Samson anchored the chase with remarkable composure, forging crucial partnerships with captain Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya to complete a record run chase.

Learning from the Dugout

In a candid post-match interview, Samson credited his growth to watching legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the sidelines. Despite playing only 59 T20 internationals since his 2015 debut, he noted that observing around 100 matches had taught him how the greats adapt under pressure and close out tight games — lessons he applied brilliantly on Sunday night.

Samson, who roared back into national reckoning in 2024 with three T20I centuries in five matches, called this his greatest cricketing day. “Right from the day I started playing, started dreaming to play for the country — this is the day I was waiting for,” he said after collecting the Player of the Match award.

India’s Semifinal Fixture

India finished second in Super 8 Group 1 behind South Africa and will now face England on March 5 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. South Africa take on New Zealand a day earlier at Eden Gardens on March 4. India will be hoping Samson carries his red-hot form into the knockout stage.