West Indies post imposing 195 after a late surge
After India won the toss and elected to bowl, West Indies made full use of the batting-friendly conditions. Yes Hope anchored the innings with a steady 32 off 33 balls, while Roston Chase injected momentum with a solid 40 off just 25 deliveries, including five boundaries and a six. Shimron Hetmyer provided the early fireworks, hitting 27 off 12 balls, and Rovman Powell added a crucial 34 from 19.
The real push came in the death overs, where Jason Holder played a captain’s knock. His unbeaten 37 off 22 balls, peppered with three towering sixes, propelled the West Indies to a formidable 195/4 in 20 overs.
For India, jasprit bumrah was the standout player with figures of 2/36 and took out important batters at crucial moments. Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with one wicket each, but Arshdeep Singh And Axar Patel proved somewhat expensive on a flat track.
Sanju Samson’s masterclass sets Kolkata on fire
India were under pressure chasing 196 and got off to a shaky start Abhishek Sharma left for 10. What followed, however, was pure class from Simson. The stylish right-hander played one of the finest shots of the tournament, hitting 97 off just 50 balls. His innings was littered with twelve fours and four sixes as he effortlessly plugged gaps and punished anything that fell short.
Ishan Kishan And Suryakumar Yadav couldn’t convert their starts, but Tilak Varma‘s aggressive 27 off 15 balls kept India ahead at the required pace. Pandya contributed 17, while Shivam Dubey‘s quick 10 out of 4 deliveries brought the equation down dramatically. As nerves crept in during the final overs, Samson held his ground before falling agonizingly below the century mark. Nevertheless, India crossed the line at 199/5 in 19.2 overs, leading to wild celebrations in the stadium.
Holder (2/38) and Shamar Joseph (2/44) continued to strike intermittently to keep the match alive. Akeal Hosein also took a wicket, but the target proved just out of reach as Samson’s brilliance overshadowed their efforts. With this five-wicket win, India confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The chase showed their depth, composure and temperament in big matches.
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Here’s how fans reacted
Respect the name: Sanju Samson!!!
— Ian Raphael Bisschop (@irbishi) March 1, 2026
India vs England semi-final #Mumbai ..Doesn’t get better.. #ICCMensT20WorldCup ..India very impressive with the Bat against West Indies..they are still the team to beat in this tournament..👍
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 1, 2026
Today @IamSanjuSamson made us all proud. Critical breakthroughs @Jaspritbumrah93 also helped Team India. Congratulations #MenInBlue for the wonderful victory. Our hearts stopped several times during the match, but all is well and it ends well. Thank goodness for that #TeamIndia. Best…
— Harbhajan Turban (@harbhajan_singh) March 1, 2026
If we ever needed to be reminded, #SanjuSamson has reminded us that you never write off lessons. He is a very special cricketer, but today the quality was in his maturity, in the responsibility of being there at the end
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 1, 2026
Well played, guys! 🙌 Clinical performance, unstoppable spirit and a true champion mentality are on display. One step closer to glory: let’s bring it home! 💙🏏
Pure dominance of @IamSanjuSamson 🔥#TeamIndia 🇮🇳 #WorldCup #Semifinals
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) March 1, 2026
hey I saw this 🥺 pic.twitter.com/xcOPy7uP9U
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 1, 2026
Go away, Sanju bhai is on a mission today! 😌#INDvWI pic.twitter.com/E4lM0JdfAk
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 1, 2026
Top gear, Sanju 🙌🏽
The selection sound was loud, but his reaction was louder… even though he gave the speech in silence and didn’t show his emotions. In the midst of pressure and expectation, he found silence. That steady head, effortless balance and timing as pure as it can be. What a…– Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) March 1, 2026
Game you must win. INSIDE SANJU SAMSON 🤌🔥 pic.twitter.com/JAY63sYoWM
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 1, 2026
That’s one of the best chases under pressure, Sanju, beautiful #INDvsWI
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) March 1, 2026
Game you must win 💪
Chettan in full flow 🔥🦁
5️⃣0️⃣* #WhistlePodu #T20World Cup— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 1, 2026
A pat of maturity 🫡
Excellent turns under enormous pressure 🙌#INDvWI #SanjuSamson #T20World Cup pic.twitter.com/Q1biIYVBX6— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) March 1, 2026
Player of the Match: Sanju Samson 🔥#cricket #INDvWI #T20World Cup pic.twitter.com/CfSJ1OJAmg
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) March 1, 2026
No hype. No PR. Just pure class. 👑
Sanju Samson plays the game with grace, patience and fearless intentions.
Resigned, doubted, but never broken.If you believe that talent survives the noise,
you are already a Sanju fan. 💙#sanjusamson pic.twitter.com/GIR4JNt2nE— Pratik S Patil (@Liberal_India1) March 1, 2026
Sanju Samson the man for India in a do or die game. The focus is never on him, but he turns out to be the game-changer.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) March 1, 2026
Sanju Samson has played a lot of punches that are often overlooked. Today is the day to stamp his class and play the innings that no one should ever forget. He has a beginning too, make it count. #INDvsWI
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) March 1, 2026
In the most important moment, Sanju Samson is playing the innings of his life for India in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav….4 T20 World Cups and 1 ODI World Cup played…India is still waiting to trust you on the big stage.— Dheeraj Singh (@Dheerajsingh_) March 1, 2026
Not a single shot in the air between the 12th and 19th overs
Low risk boundaries, controlled batting from Sanju Samson.Chasing masterclass the right way.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 1, 2026
Comes the hour, comes Sanju Samson! 🫡
9⃣7⃣*(50) – A knock that will last for a long time #TeamIndia to the semi-finals 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/ur4pr8Bi3K#T20World Cup | #MenInBlue | #INDvWI | @IamSanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/ftJRp2wMTE
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2026
RISE AND GROW SANJU SAMSON.🫡 pic.twitter.com/SAAHWUaTYB
— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) March 1, 2026
Also READ: Fans raise questions over Shimron Hetmyer’s controversial dismissal in IND vs WI Super 8 clash during T20 World Cup 2026
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