Sanju Samson's Heroics Propel India to T20 World Cup Semi-Finals

Samson's Stellar Performance Shines at Eden Gardens

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 3: Indian opener Sanju Samson took to social media to express his heartfelt thanks to fans following his remarkable unbeaten innings against the West Indies during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s match at Eden Gardens.

Samson's explosive performance, scoring 97 runs off just 50 deliveries, included 12 boundaries and four sixes, leading the defending champions to a five-wicket victory over the West Indies and securing their spot in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

The West Indies, batting first, set a challenging target of 195/4, with notable contributions from Roston Chase (40), Shai Hope (32), Shimron Hetmyer (27), and a solid partnership of 76 runs between Jason Holder (37*) and Rovman Powell (34*). Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler for India, finishing with figures of 2/36.

In response, India faced an early challenge but managed to recover through several key partnerships. Samson played a pivotal role in the chase, forming crucial alliances with Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, ultimately leading India to a five-wicket win and advancing in the tournament.

On his Instagram story, Samson shared, “I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has shown me love and support, and kept me in their prayers. The outpouring of love has truly touched me. Thank you all! We have two more steps to go. INDIA.”

India's victory at Eden Gardens sets the stage for a thrilling semi-final match against England in Mumbai on March 5, as they aim for consecutive T20 World Cup titles.

Squads:

India Squad: Ishan Kishan(w), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson.

England Squad: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Ben Duckett.