India stormed into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026 after defeating West Indies by five wickets in a high-pressure Super 8 encounter, successfully chasing down 196 with four balls to spare.
Riding on a magnificent unbeaten 97 from Sanju Samson, India finished at 199/5 in 19.2 overs. The right-hander anchored the innings under intense pressure, smashing a crucial six in the final over to level the scores before sealing the win with a boundary. His knock marked the highest score by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup chase.
Earlier, West Indies posted 195/4 in their 20 overs after opting to bat. The Caribbean side built momentum through the middle and death overs, with key contributions powering them to a competitive total. However, India’s bowlers managed timely breakthroughs to prevent the score from crossing the 200-mark.
India’s chase had early setbacks, but Samson steadied the innings and stitched vital partnerships. Tilak Varma provided impetus during the middle overs, while Hardik Pandya added quick runs before falling in the penultimate over. Shivam Dube’s late boundaries eased the pressure, leaving Samson to finish the job in style.
With this win, India advance to the semi-final, where they will face England, while West Indies bow out after a closely fought contest.
