In what was effectively an unannounced quarterfinal, India emerged victorious over the West Indies to claim the final spot in the T20 World Cup semifinals.
The host nation secured a thrilling 5-wicket win in their final Super Eight clash at Eden Gardens, ending the Caribbean side's World Cup campaign.
Chasing a formidable target of 196, India reached the finish line in 19.2 overs, fueled by a masterclass from opener Sanju Samson.
The Chase: Samson Leads the Way
India’s pursuit started on a shaky note as openers Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan were both dismissed for 10 runs each before the end of the Powerplay.
The pressure was relieved by a steady 58-run partnership between Sanju Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav. Although Yadav fell for 18 (16 balls) after being caught by Sherfane Rutherford off Shamar Joseph’s bowling, the momentum remained with India.
Contributions followed from Tilak Varma (27 off 15) and Hardik Pandya (17 off 14), but it was Samson who anchored the innings. Playing a sublime knock, Samson remained unbeaten on 97, guiding his team to victory and earning the Player of the Match award.
First Innings: Windies Set a Tall Target
Earlier, after losing the toss and being put in to bat, the West Indies got off to a strong start. Captain Shai Hope (32 off 33) and Roston Chase (40 off 25) shared an opening stand of 68 runs.
While Shimron Hetmyer (27 off 12) and Sherfane Rutherford (14 off 9) provided brief cameos, the real fireworks came late in the innings.
Rovman Powell (34* off 19) and Jason Holder (37* off 22) forged an unbeaten 60-run partnership, propelling the West Indies to a total of 195/4.
Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 36 runs in his 4-over spell. Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Score Summary
West Indies: 195/4 in 20 overs (Holder 37*, Chase 40; Bumrah 3/36)
India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Samson 97*, Tilak 27; Holder 2/38, Shamar 2/42)
Result: India won by 5 wickets.
