India vs West Indies Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Sanju Samson's 97 not out propels India into semi-finals

That’s it from us in our coverage of the T20 World Cup Super 8 clash between India and West Indies! Thank you and good night!

With their victory over West Indies in Kolkata, India join South Africa, England and New Zealand in the semi-finals.

Sanju Samson is congratulated by everyone after finishing unbeaten on 97, smashing Shepherd for a six and a four at the start of the 19th over to finish off in style for the Men in Blue

“Obviously it’s a great feeling. It was like a quarterfinal game. The way the boys showed character, it was a great thing. I always say good things happen to good people who wait. It’s all his hard work that he was doing when he wasn’t playing and now he’s got the fruit. I feel everyone bowled according to the plans. We knew 200 is always a good score to chase. The ball comes on to the bat nicely because of the dew and our plan was to take the game deep. Very happy to be there. The way we played from the first game, I think we deserve to be there in Mumbai. But we won’t think of it now. We will take the flight, get to Mumbai and see what to do. When there is no pressure there is no pressure. We are nervous, there are butterflies in the stomach but how you handle it is what matters.”

“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. He 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.”

Semi-final 1: South Africa vs New Zealand in Kolkata on Wednesday, 4 March

Semi-final 2: England vs India in Mumbai on Thursday, 5 March

It’s also the third-highest target successful chased in the T20 World Cup, behind England’s chase of 230 against South Africa in 2016 and South Africa’s chase of 206 against West Indies in 2007!

“It means the whole world to me. Right from the day I started playing, started dreaming of playing for the country, this is the knock I was waiting for. Had a very special journey. Had a lot of ups and downs. kept doubting myself, thinking will I make it? But I am thankful to the almighty for blessing me today. I’ve been playing this format for many years. Learned from a lot of greats like Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni. That helped with my experience. I’ve noticed how the greats play, and seeing how they change their game according to situations. Last game we were batting first so i was going from ball one, but this game it was different. Every time I tried to go too high we were losing wickets. Didn’t think I would play this special knock ,but yeah this is one of the greatest days of my life. Just stayed in the present, played the ball on the merit.”

And why wouldn’t he be, having stood tall and kept India in the hunt when wickets were tumbling at regular intervals at the other end! India were off to a shaky start, losing two wickets in the powerplay, and Samson steered them into the knockouts from such a position with a series of crucial partnerships, the most crucial of which was the one with Tilak Varma!

With South Africa having beaten Zimbabwe in Delhi earlier today, they finish top of Group 1 with six points, while India finish second with four points! West Indies and Zimbabwe bow out of the tournament, and they can hold their heads high, having topped their groups with four wins in as many games!

Samson heaves the ball over mid on, barely clearing the fielder, resulting in the winning boundary! Samson remains unbeaten on 97 off 50 balls as India defeat West Indies by 5 wickets with four balls to spare! IND 199/5 in 19.2

India need just 1 to win from 5 balls after Samson clears deep midwicket with a heave off a full delivery from Romario Shepherd! Moves into the 90s as well! IND 195/5 in 19.1

Shivam Dube joins Sanju Samson and is off to a fiery start, collecting two fours in his first three balls and pinching a quick double in the final delivery, allowing Samson to retain the strike for the crucial final over! The fielding penalty will also apply with one extra fielder inside the circle now. IND 189/5 in 19

Holder makes up for dropping a sitter at extra cover earlier as he collects a catch at the same position as Joseph gets rid of Pandya in his final over. The all-rounder miscued a low full toss from the pacer, and barely cleared the circle as a result. IND 179/5 in 18.2; need 17 off 10

Samson steers an off-cutter from Holder towards the backward point fence to go past Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 against Australia (2016) and Pakistan (2022), which had been the highest score by an Indian in a chase at the T20 World Cup until now! IND 179/4 in 18; need 17 off 12

In addition to the dropped catch, Shepherd concedes three wides in this over. Pandya too capitalises on the lifeline with a boundary in the final delivery, lofting a full delivery towards the deep extra cover fence. IND 171/4 in 17

Jason Holder puts down a sitter at extra cover, handing Hardik Pandya a lifeline on 6! The West Indians have been excellent on the fielder today with Shimron Hetmyer collecting a couple of blinders. But these drops could cost them the title in the end. IND 161/4 in 16.1; need 35 off 23

The boundaries continue to flow for the Men in Blue, with three of them being added to the Indian total since Tilak’s dismissal, including one to new batter Hardik Pandya. India are going at 10-an-over despite losing wickets, and thus are very much in the game. IND 160/4 in 16

Holder gets the crucial breakthrough, breaking the fourth wicket stand that is ultimately worth 42! Tilak had struck the previous ball for a boundary towards deep extra cover and went for an inside-out loft over mid off. Didn’t get the height needed to clear the fielder though, and Hetmyer times his jump perfectly to grab the ball. IND 141/4 in 14.4; need 55 off 32

First six of the innings for the southpaw, who’s batting on 23 off 12 balls at the end of the 14th over with Samson on 69 off 39 at the other end, the partnership between them worth 37 off 22. Another big over for India, with Chase conceding 15 in his second over after conceding just three in the first. Samson had struck the first ball for a boundary, steering a yorker-length ball behind point. Drinks brought to the field now. IND 136/3 in 14; need 60 off 36

After conceding just three in his first over, Joseph leaks 17 in his second, one that brings the asking rate below 11 for the Men in Blue! Samson drills the ball down the ground in the first delivery and gets off strike with a single next ball. Tilak – who had struck an unbeaten 44 off 16 against Zimbabwe in Chennai – breaks the shackles and smashes a hat-trick of fours! Lofts the ball towards the vacant long off boundary in the third delivery, cuts a slower ball behind point in the fourth before a misfield by Rutherford at deep midwicket allows the ball to run away towards the fence for the third consecutive time. IND 121/3 in 13; target: 196

Chase is introduced for the first time in the 12th over, and the veteran off-spinner concedes just three singles. No boundary for the last two overs, and the asking rate has now gone past 11. IND 104/3 in 12; target: 196

The three singles brings up India’s 100 in the 11th over. India are going at over nine-an-over at the moment, thanks primarily to Samson, and have seven wickets in hand. Surya’s wicket, however, has put the Men in Blue under pressure once again. This is also the first over of the chase without a single boundary.  IND 101/3 in 11; target: 196

Shamar Joseph makes an instant impact as Surya holes out to the fielder at deep cover, where Sherfane Rutherford completes a fine low catch. Surya had been dropped by Motie on 17 in the previous over but couldn’t quite make the most of the lifeline. IND 99/3 in 10.2; target: 196

After a couple of starts earlier in the tournament, Sanju Samson brings up his maiden T20 World Cup half-century in style, cutting a flat delivery from Motie behind square, beating the fielder diving to his left inside the circle. Excellent knock so far from Samson, one that has kept India afloat in their chase of 196 in the virtual quarter-final! IND 97/2 in 9.4; target: 196

Samson clobbers a slower delivery from the seam-bowling all-rounder over long off in the third delivery. The opener then hammers the ball down the ground towards long on in the following delivery, and a misfield by the fielder in the deep allows the ball to roll away for a four. Samson brings up fifty of the partnership with Surya with a single in the last delivery. IND 91/2 in 9; target: 196

Samson welcomes the left-arm spinner, who has been one of West Indies’ key performers in this tournament so far, with a four, getting on the back foot and slicing a flat delivery towards the wide long off fence. Surya collects a four in the final delivery, sweeping a full delivery past short fine. IND 78/2 in 8; target: 196

Length ball from Holder, who continues after the drinks break, and Surya has little trouble heaving it over the deep backward square leg fence. Surya targeted the leg side despite West Indies placing multiple fielders on the boundary in that direction. Good over for India with 14 coming off it, including a boundary to Samson in the second ball as the opener flat-bats a short-of-length ball over mid off. IND 67/2 in 7; target: 196

Sanju Samson is batting on 24 off 13 balls with captain Suryakumar Yadav on 3 off 6 balls so far. Third consecutive over for Matthew Forde, and the seamer is struck for a boundary in the second delivery with Samson picking a back-of-the-hand slower ball and lofting it over backward point. Samson’s once again got a promising start and he will be hoping to convert this into a big score. Drinks brought to the field at the end of the powerplay.

Jason Holder strikes in his first over! Kishan had struck the senior all-rounder for a boundary in the second delivery, slicing a full delivery over extra cover, and pulls the next ball towards deep square leg. Looked well-struck initially, but Kishan did not get the height needed to clear the fielder. IND 41/2 in 4.3; target: 196