Sanju Samson reflects on his batting performance that took India to the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup

In a high-octane clash that lived up to every part of its billing, India punched their ticket to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals with a thrilling five-wicket win over the West Indies. During the 52nd match of the tournament, held under the iconic lights of Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 1, 2026, a capacity crowd of 50,597 fans witnessed a career-defining performance by Sanju Samson. In a chase that required nerves of steel, Samson’s unbeaten 97 sent the Men in Blue past a formidable Caribbean total, ending the Super Eights stage on an all-time high.

Sanju Samson shares his thoughts on his match-winning performance that sealed India’s semi-final spot

Following his match-winning heroics, an emotional Samson was named Player of the Match. For a player whose international career has often been scrutinized for consistency, this blow felt like a final arrival. Samson anchored the chase with a mix of aggressive strokeplay and calculated patience, finishing with 97 off just 50 balls, adorned with 10 boundaries and 8 towering sixes.

“It means the whole world to me. Ever since I started dreaming of playing for my country, this is the day I’ve been waiting for.” Samson shared it during the post-match presentation.

He reflected candidly on his decade-long journey, noting that despite the “ups and downs‘ and self-doubt, observing legends like Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma from the dugout gave him a virtual masterclass in finishing games.

Samson highlighted his tactical shift during the innings, noting that while the previous match was about “going big from ball one”, the collapse of the Indian top order – losses Abhishek Sharma (10) and Ishan Kishan (10) asked – made him turn around.

“I wanted to build a partnership and focus on the process. I just looked at the ball and trusted that I would respond on merit,he added, acknowledging that the roar of the Kolkata crowd helped him stay grounded in the present moment.

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India will go past West Indies to qualify for the semi-finals

West Indies, batting first, posted a fearsome 195/4, fueled by explosive cameos from the skipper Yes Hope (32) and fireworks in the late inning of Rovman Powell (34) and Jason Holder (37). The Windies’ lower order added 50 runs in the last 20 balls, putting immense pressure on the Indian bowling unit. jasprit bumrah was the bowlers’ favorite and showed his class with figures of 2/36, while Varun Chakraborty provided Hope’s crucial breakthrough.

India’s chase of 196 started shakily as they found themselves at 41/2 inside the Powerplay. However, Samson found a permanent partner in it Suryakumar Yadav (18) onwards Tilak Varma (27). The turning point came when Samson reached fifty in just 26 balls, shifting the momentum back to the hosts. Despite losing Hardik Pandya in the 19th over, Shivam Dubey came in and hit a quick 8 off 4 balls to put India over the line at 199/5 with four balls to spare.

With this win, India go into the semi-finals with huge momentum, fueled by a middle order that seems finally settled and a new hero in Samson who has proven he can win matches on the biggest stage of them all.

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