India vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2026: Sanju Samson smashes unbeaten 97 as IND enter semifinal in style
India vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2026: Sanju Samson rose to the occasion with a magnificent unbeaten 97 in a high-pressure, do-or-die encounter, steering his side through a demanding chase of 196 and powering them into the semi-final.
- 11:18 PM IST, Mar 1Shai Hope!
- 11:15 PM IST, Mar 1SKY for Sanju!
- 11:06 PM IST, Mar 1“Learning from the greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma…”
- 11:03 PM IST, Mar 1Samson - Player of the Match!
- 10:50 PM IST, Mar 1India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) by five wickets to reach semi-final
- 10:45 PM IST, Mar 1Dube releases pressure with boundaries!
- 10:42 PM IST, Mar 1Hardik Pandya falls!
- 10:39 PM IST, Mar 1Sanju Samson nears century!
- 10:35 PM IST, Mar 1Hardik dropped!
- 10:28 PM IST, Mar 1Hardik, Samson take charge!
- 10:21 PM IST, Mar 1OUT! Tilak Varma Falls!
- 10:13 PM IST, Mar 1Tilak, Samson dominate Windies
- 10:08 PM IST, Mar 1Tilak with hat-trick of Fours!
- 9:55 PM IST, Mar 1Shamar Joseph removes SKY!
- 9:53 PM IST, Mar 1Samson hits fifty!
- 9:39 PM IST, Mar 1Sanju, SKY find boundaries!
- 9:31 PM IST, Mar 1End of Powerplay!
- 9:23 PM IST, Mar 1Jason Holder removes Ishan!
- 9:20 PM IST, Mar 1Ishan Kishan hits four!
- 9:16 PM IST, Mar 1Abhishek Sharma departs!
- 9:14 PM IST, Mar 1Sanju on fire!
- 9:10 PM IST, Mar 1Abhishek hits another four but run rate still 6!
- 9:03 PM IST, Mar 1Tidy from Akeal!
- 8:57 PM IST, Mar 1Tilak to open?
- 8:48 PM IST, Mar 1West Indies post 195/4 in 20 overs!
- 8:42 PM IST, Mar 1Arshdeed with an excellent penultimate over!
- 8:32 PM IST, Mar 1Holder on fire!
- 8:27 PM IST, Mar 1Powell hammers Arshdeep!
- 8:16 PM IST, Mar 1Hardik Pandya strikes!
- 8:13 PM IST, Mar 1Tidy from Varun Chakaravarthy!
- 8:08 PM IST, Mar 1Tilak drops Rutherford!
- 8:03 PM IST, Mar 1Jasprit Bumrah strikes again!
- 8:00 PM IST, Mar 1Jasprit Bumrah removes Hetmyer!
- 7:56 PM IST, Mar 1Hetmyer smashes Varun!
- 7:42 PM IST, Mar 1Varun Chakarvarthy gives IND first breakthrough!
- 7:39 PM IST, Mar 1Axar Patel leaks runs!
- 7:36 PM IST, Mar 150 for Windies!
- 7:28 PM IST, Mar 1Patel hit for 10 runs!
- 7:25 PM IST, Mar 1Abhishek drops Chase!
- 7:20 PM IST, Mar 1Patel puts brakes!
- 7:15 PM IST, Mar 1Chase counter-attacks Arshdeep after Varun misses run-out!
- 7:11 PM IST, Mar 1Hope breaks shackles vs Pandya!
- 7:06 PM IST, Mar 1Tidy from Arshdeep!
- 7:00 PM IST, Mar 1Action begins!
- 6:56 PM IST, Mar 1Time for national anthems!
- 6:53 PM IST, Mar 1Bumrah locked-in for big challenge!
- 6:39 PM IST, Mar 1West Indies Playing XI!
- 6:37 PM IST, Mar 1India Playing XI!
- 6:34 PM IST, Mar 1SKY opts to bat!
- 6:25 PM IST, Mar 1India pace trio on fire!
- 6:16 PM IST, Mar 1IND vs WI Probable XIs
- 6:10 PM IST, Mar 1Eden Gardens so far in this World Cup
- 6:04 PM IST, Mar 1IND vs WI may be decided by the bowlers
- 5:56 PM IST, Mar 1Knockout Within the Knockout
- 5:48 PM IST, Mar 1IND look to overcome the ghosts of 2016
- 5:43 PM IST, Mar 1IND vs WI head-to-head - West Indies have World Cup edge
- 5:38 PM IST, Mar 1New pre-match metric flags India-WI danger men: Kishan and Hetmyer top striking index
- 5:31 PM IST, Mar 1Samson returns with a bang
- 5:28 PM IST, Mar 1Wicket Hunt Before Knockout: Varun Leads, But West Indies Bring a Deeper Strike Pack
- 5:22 PM IST, Mar 1Dube's struggle with ball!
- 5:15 PM IST, Mar 1Run Battle Before Knockout: India’s Twin Engines vs West Indies’ Power Trio
- 5:05 PM IST, Mar 1Varun losing his magic touch
- 5:00 PM IST, Mar 1Akeal Hosein expected to return and trouble India
- 4:55 PM IST, Mar 1West Indies so far: Momentum built, pressure now peaks in Kolkata
- 4:50 PM IST, Mar 1Strong starts, one stumble, one last shot

India vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2026: A knock of rare temperament and quality from Sanju Samson, who delivered when it mattered most in a virtual knockout against the West Indies. Chasing 196, India were under intense pressure, but Samson held his nerve to remain unbeaten on 97, guiding his side home with four balls to spare. As India (199/5) edged past West Indies (195/4) by five wickets to seal a semi-final berth, the emotional batter sank to his knees, soaking in a moment that defined how special and important this knock was for him at this stage of his career....Read More
India innings
20th over: Sanju Samson finishes it off in style with a six and a four to take India over the line in style. He remains unbeaten on 97 as India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) by five wickets to reach semi-final.
19th over: OUT! This time, Jason Holder holds on to dismiss Hardik Pandya. Could there be a late twist in the tale? Well, Shivam Dube says no. First ball he faced and dispatched it for a FOUR. And then some as India need just 7 off the last over.
18th over: Gets easier for India. Sanju Samson beats Virat Kohli for India’s highest individual score in a T20 World Cup chase. As Karthik points out, even Kohli would applaud this knock from ‘Chetta’.
17th over: DROPPED! Could that be the final nail in the coffin for the West Indies? It’s Jason Holder who’s put down Hardik Pandya. India get closer, on the cusp of reaching the semi-final of this T20 World Cup.
15th over: OUT! Tilak Varma departs. He was looking so good. Why did he have to do that? Hetmyer takes another one.
14th over: Seems to be getting easy for India. A boundary to start the over from Samson and a SIX from Tilak to end it. Another good over for India as they get 14 from it.
13th over: Return of the boundaries as Samson, Tilak combine to hit four in this over. 17 off it. This is more like what India needed. Samson bludgeoned one down the ground, and Tilak timed his equally beautifully to loft the ball over the bowler. Next ball, he cuts it with impeccable precision to carve it through the off-side. What makes it worse for West Indies is Rutherford’s poor effort in the field, allowing the ball to hit the boundary cushions.
12th over: Oh what a stunning over! No boundaries, only three singles off it. India’s required rate now spikes up to 11 an over. You can cut the tension with a knife.
11th over: Yikes! Suryakumar holes up in the deep. India lost their third, but Samson’s fifty keeps them alive in this chase. Shamar Joseph with the wickets. Eden is silenced, but out walks Tilak Varma to prove a point.
10th over: It’s the West Indies’ turn now to become sloppy. Motie drops a caught and bowled chance to give Suryakumar Yadav a lifeline. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson completes a fine half-century with a boundary. The stakes were high, the occasion big and what a way to light it up.
9th over: SIX! In the slot from Shepherd, and Samson gives it his all. Drill it over deep cover for a massive hit. Then follows it up for a FOUR thanks to some poor fielding from Gudakesh Motie at long-on. Fifty partnership comes up, Samson approaching a half-century of his own
8th over: Another over starts with a boundary. Samson takes on Gudakesh Motie to ensure India keep ticking away. Suryakumar then sweeps off the last ball to end the over with a boundary.
7th over: Samson and Suryakumar break the shackles. Just when the boundaries seemed to have stopped coming, Samson hits Holder back down the ground for a FOUR. Surya then plays his favourite scoop for a SIX. India breathe; ‘SS’ settles some nerves.
6th over: A not-so-convincing shot from Samson, but he had enough to jaywalk to the boundary. With that, India’s fifty comes up. But otherwise, a decent over for the West Indies.
5th over: Another wicket! Ishan Kishan looked so good but even as he middled the ball, Shimron Hetmyer got under it to hand India a huge setback. This must ring a few alarm bells in that Indian camp.
4th over: Ishan Kishan takes off. Flicks Forde for his first boundary as India reach 37/1. Samson was kept quiet but he took a single to bring Ishan on strike, who gets going.
3rd over: Two sixes and a wicket! Sanju Samson fires away! A FOUR and a SIX to start the over after 11 off the first two overs. Oh wait! Make that another SIX in the over. Akeal Hossain under the pump. But wait! What’s that? Abhishek is GONE. Top edges to Shimron Hetmyer.
2nd over: FOUR! Starts the second over from Matthew Forde with a FOUR, but the timing’s not quite there from Abhishek. And the West Indies understand that. Top edges the ball onto his helmet, which requires a concussion test. No harm done. Sanju Samson gets off the mark as well.
1st over: Abhishek Sharma gets himself and India off the mark with a boundary early on. Remember, India need to pull off their highest successful chase in the history of the T20 World Cup. Five off the first over as India’s chase is underway.
West Indies Innings
20 overs: Bumrah bleeds 20 off the last over as West Indies finish on 195/4. India need to pull off a record chase at the T20 World Cup to qualify for the semi-finals. Else, they can kiss their chances goodbye.
19th over: Finally, the over that India needed! After leaking 24 in his last over, Arshdeep finishes well, giving away six in India’s penultimate over. Over to Jasprit Bumrah now.
18th over: Bumrah pulls it back but still gives away 12. Varun’s sloppy work doesn’t help. West Indies 175 already, with the final two overs coming up.
17th over: Consecutive big over for the Windies! This time Holder takes Chakaravarthy for 14.
16th over: 24 off the over. A gift from Arshdeep Singh as he gives away 5 wides. To make matters worse, Rovman Powell throws the kitchen sink to send the ball high into the stands. As Ravi Shastri said, ‘the sound of the ball could be heard all the way till Howrah Bridge’. The last two balls bring SIX and FOUR.
15th over: What a start after the break. Hardik Pandya outsmarts the cheeky Sherfane Rutherford to pick up West Indies’ fourth wicket. Reasons to cheer for Windies as Jason Holder ends the over with a six
14th over: India took their chance, but it wasn’t to be as Suryakumar Yadav’s DRS call didn’t help. Rovman Powell survives a close LBW shout. West Indies’ run rate is still strong at 8.5, and with six overs left, expect plenty of fireworks.
13th over: Tilak Varma drops a catch, although a tough one. Sherfane Rutherford has announced himself early with a six off Axar, but the left-arm spinner does well to keep the remaining over clean.
12th over: Huge moment in the game as Bumrah picks two in the over. He returned for his second spell to dismiss the dangerous Hetmyer. The batter was convinced he did not nick it, and took the DRS, but even as the ball flicked his lowers, ultra-edge also showed a spike. Hetmyer and coach Darren Sammy can’t believe it. And if that wasn’t enough, Bumrah did it again penultimate ball of the over, with a slower ball doing the trick to remove the well-set Roston Chase.
11th over: TUCKED into him! Shimron Hetmyer middles Chakaravarthy for his second six of the innings and the 19th of this World Cup. Sloppy from Axar Patel as well, with Hetmyer helping himself to another four in the over.
10th over: The dangerous Shimron Hetmyer is up and away! Hardik lands one in the slot, and the left-hander pummels it for a six. He is the tournament’s joint-leading six-hitter with 18 maximums.
9th over: WICKET! Varun Chakaravarthy does it! At last, India have a wicket. The ball turns sharply and beats Shai Hope, who was all over that shot. That brings out the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer.
8th over: Another good over for the West Indies. Suryakumar does well to prevent a boundary but the West Indies would look to explode now that they’ve reached 66/0.
7th over: Chase brings up the 50 for West Indies. Hardik bowled four very good deliveries, but Chase broke the momentum by smashing the next one for a SIX. It’s getting worrisome for India now, who continue to search for a wicket.
6th over: End of the Powerplay. The West Indies have done well not to lose a wicket and still score 45. Chase sweeps Axar for his fourth boundary. India would have hoped for better, but the scoring rate hasn’t yet slipped into the dangerous category.
5th over: Terrible from Abhishek Sharma as he drops a regulation chance. Roston Chase scooped Bumrah for a six, but the India pacer foxed him as he top-edged the next ball. Abhishek had all the time in the world to grab it, but guess what? He grassed it.
4th over: Great recovery from Axar! After a boundary off the first ball, Roston Chase took a break, but it immediately impacted West Indies’ scoring as the next five balls brought nothing.
3rd over: India had a chance for a breakthrough here, but Varun Chakaravarthy throws the ball at the wrong end. Both batters were in the middle of the pitch, but the poor throw allowed them to recover and make ground. A wake-up call for the West Indies, perhaps because it makes Roston Chase go with two boundaries.
2nd Over: Ah! There’s the over the West Indies needed. After three very tight deliveries from Hardik Pandya, a desperate Shai Hope took him for a SIX and a FOUR to end the over on a high
1st over: Arshdeep Singh set the tone early; India begin tightly against the West Indies.
Suryakumar Yadav appeared relaxed and upbeat at the toss, choosing to field first, but admitted there is still some tension in the dressing room and that the players are focused following the emphatic win over Zimbabwe. India resisted the urge to tinker with a winning combination, sticking with the same XI as Sanju Samson held on to his spot at the top. West Indies, however, made a tactical tweak by drafting in Akeal Hosein to bolster their spin attack.
"You never want to end at this stage": Shai Hope!
After West Indies’ campaign came to a disappointing end against India, skipper Shai Hope admitted his side fell just short in key phases of the chase, reflecting on missed opportunities with the bat while also crediting his bowlers for keeping them in the contest until the very end.
"Maybe a few short, especially on a chasing ground such as this. Probably could have gone a bit more at the end. Probably could have got more at the start as well. Bumrah is one of their main strike bowlers. Whenever he has got the ball in his hands something is going to happy. Hety was going really well. I thought we were good. The way we adapted to different conditions was good. Forde was good with the ball. Akeal got us wickets as well. Just didn't get over the line today to continue the tournament. You never want to end at this stage. One more game you are in the semis and if you have a good game you are in the final. We got to make sure you play the best cricket on the day. Take the crucial moments and capitalize," Shai Hope said after the match.
“Good things happen to good people who wait”: SKY for Sanju!
IND vs WI Live Score: Praising his teammate’s perseverance on the biggest stage, Suryakumar Yadav lauded Sanju Samson for staying patient through the highs and lows, saying his long wait and hard work away from the spotlight had finally paid off when it mattered the most.
"See I always say good things happen to good people who wait. Who have a lot of patience. All his hard work ,what he has been doing behind the doors when he hasn't been playing, he has got the fruits for it at the perfect stage," Suryakumar Yadav said.
“Learning from the greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma…”
Sanju Samson credited the invaluable lessons he picked up from stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Having observed them closely from the dugout, Samson believes those quiet years of learning shaped his understanding of finishing games and adapting to match situations.
“I think that’s why I have been playing this format for a very long time. I think playing IPL around 10 to 12 years and playing for the country from last 10 years, I have not been playing, but looking from the dugout, learning from the greats like Virat Kohli, from Rohit Sharma, like all the greats. I think it’s very important to observe and learn and see what they were doing. I think that really helped me to, I think with my experience, I have only played maybe 50, 60 games, but I’ve seen around 100 games and I’ve seen how the greatest people have finished the games and how do they change their game according to the game,” Samson said.
IND vs WI Live Score: Samson - Player of the Match!
IND vs WI Live Score: Under immense pressure in a virtual quarterfinal, Sanju Samson delivered the knock of his life. His unbeaten 97 not only powered India into the semi-final but also marked a deeply personal milestone for the wicketkeeper-batter, who had waited years for a defining moment on the international stage. For the Kerala batter, it wasn’t just a match-winning knock — it was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream in Indian colours and a moment he had patiently waited for from the sidelines.
“It means the whole world to me actually. Right from the day I started dreaming of playing for the country, this is what I was waiting for. I have been playing this format for a very long time. I was learing from the dugout watching the likes of Virat and greats from the game. I wanted to build a partnership. I never felt that I will do something special like this. One of the greatest days of my life. They do bring a lot of support and energy. I just watched the ball and trusted myself to play the shots," Samson said after winning Player of the Match.
IND vs WI Live Score: India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) by five wickets to reach semi-final
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju Samson smashes a six on the first ball of the last over to level the score. An 80-meter six! He finishes it off with a boundary as India reach the semi-final, where they will face England. A knock of the highest quality from Sanju Samson under pressure in a big chase as he removes his helmet and is on his knees on the ground, thanking God for his match-winning knock. The Indian dressing saltues Samson for this knock for the ages. He remains unbeaten on 97 here and India win the match with four balls to spare. India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) by five wickets to reach the semi-final
IND vs WI Live Score: Dube releases pressure with boundaries!
IND vs WI Live Score: Shivam Dube with a couple of boundaries after Shamar Joseph's departure to release the pressure. A couple of legbyes on the last ball of the over here as India need just 7 runs to win in the last over. IND 189/5 in 19 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Hardik Pandya falls!
IND vs WI Live Score: Is there another twist in the tale? Hardik Pandya departs in the penultimate over here. He went for a big shot and got caught by Jason Holder this time for 17. A big blow for India at this stage. IND 79/5 in 18.2 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju Samson nears century!
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju Samson with another boundary here as India are marching towards sealing a place in the semi-final. He is batting on 87 now, which is the highest score by an Indian in the T20 World Cup while chasing, beating Virat Kohli's 82. IND 179/4 in 18 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Hardik dropped!
IND vs WI Live Score: Jason Holder is livid with himself after dropping Jason Holder. He juggled it and stood in disbelief after that. Three wides in an over while Hardik smashed the last ball for a boundary to keep the scoreboard moving in the chase. IND 171/4 in 17 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Hardik, Samson take charge!
IND vs WI Live Score: Shamar Joseph came back into the attack, and Hardik Pandya welcomed him with a boundary on the first ball of the over, putting pressure back on the pacer straightaway. Sanju Samson also continues to find boundaries at ease and finishes the over with another one. IND 160/4 in 16 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: OUT! Tilak Varma Falls!
IND vs WI Live Score: OUT! Tilak Varma bites the dust after an explosive cameo in the middle. Jason Holder returned to the attack and provided his team a crucial breakthrough to slow India down in a crunch situation. IND 141/4 in 14.4 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Tilak, Samson dominate Windies
IND vs WI Live Score: Roston Chase continues from the other end Sanju Samson smashed him for a boundary on the first ball itself. Tilak Varma also continues to fire from the end and hammered a towering six to put pressure back on the Windies. IND 136/3 in 14 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Tilak with hat-trick of Fours!
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju Samson smashes the first ball of the over for a boundary. Tilak Varma joins the party with a lovely four down the ground - a lofty drive over long-off to reach the fence. He follows it up with a fine cut shot for another four. And Sherfane Rutheford's misfield gifts Tilak another four to make his third of the over. A big over for India as 17 runs came off the over. IND 121/3 in 13 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Brilliant over from Roston!
IND vs WI Live Score: Roston Chase into the attack and West Indies look to pile up pressure on India with a couple of tight overs. And he delivered an excellent over here with just three runs off it. The required run rate has touched 11.5 and things will get tricky for India from here. IND 104/3 in 14 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Shamar Joseph removes SKY!
IND vs WI Live Score: Shamar Joseph into the attack, and he gets the better of Suryakumar Yadav straightaway. A fine catch from Sherfane Rutherford as Surya endures another low score in the T20 World Cup as he departs for just 18. Poor shot from Surya as there was a fikder placed there and Eden is stunned after his dismissal. IND 99/3 in 10.2 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Samson hits fifty!
IND vs WI Live Score: Gudakesh Motie into the attack and Sanju Samson hammered him for a boundary to reach his half-century in style. His first fifty in the T20 World Cup. However, it was a tidy over from the spinner with 7 runs coming off it. WI 98/2 in 10 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: 50-run stand!
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju Samson takes on Romario Shepherd this time and smashes him for a six and a four. The Windies fielders are feeling the pressure as the four came after a poor misfield by Motie near the boundary line. 13 runs came off the over and the two batters have also shared a 50-run stand. IND 91/2 in 9 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju, SKY take control!
IND vs WI Live Score: The over starts and ends with a four. Sanju Samson smashed the first ball in the gap to find a boundary while his skipper Suryakumar Yadav did the same on the last ball. The boundary keeps coming for India in the chase as the required run rate is under 10. IND 78/2 in 8 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju, SKY find boundaries!
IND vs WI Live Score: A good over for India as Jason Holder gets a taste of his own medicine. Sanju Samson hit four, and Suryakumar Yadav took it one step ahead with a six. 14 runs came off it. The two batters need to continue the same momentum from here. IND 67/2 in 7 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: End of Powerplay!
IND vs WI Live Score: Matthew Forde continues from the other end, and Sanju Samson breaks free to find a crucial boundary as 50 up for India. Suryakumar Yadav also needs to fire here to put India back in contention in this chase. 8 runs came off the over. IND 53/2 in 6 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Jason Holder removes Ishan!
IND vs WI Live Score: Jason Holder with the massive wicket of in-form Ishan Kishan here. After hitting a four on the last ball, Ishan decided to pull it, and he got a bit of elevation too, but was caught near the boundary rope by Shimton Hetmyer. IND 41/2 in 4.3 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Ishan Kishan hits four!
IND vs WI Live Score: Ishan Kishan flicked it nonchalantly over mid-wicket for a boundary. However, it was still a tidy over from Matthew Forde with eight runs coming off it. India need a partnership here to shift the momentum. IND 37/1 in 4 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Abhishek Sharma departs!
IND vs WI Live Score: After Sanju Samson's onslaught early in the over, Abhishek Sharma also decided to go for a big shot but got caught as the night goes from bad to worse for the Indian opener. He also had a tough outing on the field and now flopped with the bat too. IND 29/1 in 3 overs
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju on fire!
IND vs WI Live Score: Sanju Samson makes room for himself and cuts it hard into the gap for a boundary on the first ball of Akeal Hosein. He follows it up with a couple of sixes in the same over to set the tone for India in the chase. Samson is off to a blazing start and he needs to continue this momentum.
IND vs WI Live Score: Abhishek hits another four but run rate still 6!
IND vs WI Live Score: Matthew Forde was into the attack. Abhishek Sharma pulled him into the gap to clear the circle and score another boundary. A brief concussion check on Abhishek after he edged the ball to the helmet. Forde left Samson speechless with a peach of a delivery. IND 12/0 in 2 overs



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