Samson remains unbeaten on 97 as the West Indies struggle with their bowling in Kolkata, paving the way for India to reach the World Cup semifinal against England.
Sanju Samson delivered one of the most composed performances during a tense run chase, leading India to a five-wicket victory over the West Indies in Kolkata and securing a spot in the T20 World Cup semifinals.
Samson, who made his return to the Indian playing XI in the last match after being sidelined for the previous three games, finished unbeaten on 97 as India secured a remarkable victory in front of a full house at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
The wicketkeeper-batter was the sole Indian player to achieve over 30 runs as the reigning champions confronted the Maroons in a crucial Super Eight match that determined the winner.
During the match, Samson achieved the highest score ever recorded by an Indian in a T20 World Cup run chase, surpassing Virat Kohli’s 82 runs against Australia in 2016 and Pakistan in 2022.
The cohosts are set to compete against England in the second semifinal in Mumbai on Thursday, while New Zealand will clash with South Africa in the first semifinal match on Wednesday in Kolkata.
Samson’s composed attitude amidst a challenging target and an eager home audience set the stage for India’s pursuit after they lost key player Abhishek Sharma in the third over.
The 31-year-old player from southern India seized control of the match, scoring consistently with boundaries during his 50-ball innings. Samson finished with an impressive 97 not out, including 12 fours and four sixes.
Although he received some temporary backing from the top and middle order batsmen of India, none managed to exceed the 20-run threshold until Tilak Varma achieved 27 runs off 15 deliveries in a partnership of 42 runs with Samson.
Suryakumar Yadav (18) and Hardik Pandya (17) also played vital roles in the total, which was finalized with two boundaries hit by Samson in the final over.
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West Indian bowlers Shamar Joseph and Jason Holder each took two wickets, while their teammates found it challenging to stem the tide of runs scored by Samson.
Previously, a 68-run opening stand from captain Shai Hope and Roston Chase provided the West Indies with a rapid beginning to their innings.
Chase, who hit 40 runs off 25 deliveries, was the more dynamic of the two openers, capitalizing on a dropped catch by Abhishek Sharma to aggressively challenge Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah during the initial six overs.
Hope was dismissed for 32 runs following a lackluster performance and was substituted by the in-form Shimron Hetmyer.
The fifth-ranked leading run-scorer of the cricket tournament raced to 27 runs off just 12 deliveries before being dismissed caught behind by Bumrah.
India appeared to be in a strong position as they limited the West Indies to 119-4 by the 15th over. However, a powerful finish from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder propelled the 2012 and 2016 champions to a total of 195.
Powell remained not out at 34 while Holder scored 37 off 22 deliveries, as they aimed to apply pressure on the pre-tournament favorites in front of a full house at Eden Gardens.
Bumrah stood out among the Indian bowlers, claiming two vital wickets in his four-over spell.
Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy claimed the remaining two wickets of the West Indies.
