By Shivani P Menon
India are through to the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, and the person who made sure of that was Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batter played a brilliant unbeaten 97 off 50 balls on Sunday night at Eden Gardens, steering India to a five-wicket win over West Indies in a tense Super 8 thriller that went down to the wire.
Chasing 196, India pulled off their highest successful run-chase in the T20 World Cup history, where Sanju’s innings included 12 fours and four sixes, as the defending champions won the match with 3 balls remaining.
West Indies made 195/4 after a strong batting display. Bumrah was India’s best bowler with 2/36, where he took two wickets in the same over.
Sanju Samson broke Virat Kohli’s record for the highest individual score by an Indian while chasing in a T20 World Cup, going past Kohli’s 82 not out. He also surpassed Tim Seifert’s record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batter in a T20 World Cup run chase.
Sanju clinched the victory with a six and four in the last over.
Falling three runs short of a maiden T20 World Cup century, Sanju dropped to his knees at the crease, removed his helmet and said a prayer, a moment that captured the sheer weight of what he had just accomplished.
Sanju Samson’s 97 is now the highest score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup chase, shattering Kohli’s records set against Australia in 2016 and Pakistan in 2022.
India finished second in Super 8, Group 1 and will now face England in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5. The first semi-final is between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Gardens on March 4.
India also became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of an ICC event 20 times.
For the West Indies, it was another heartbreaking exit. Their streak of failing to reach the semi-finals of a T20 World Cup since 2016 continues.