Sanju Samson plays a shot during the T20 World Cup Super 8 match against West Indies. (ANI Photo)

KOLKATA: Sanju Samson has warmed the India benches more often than he would have liked in his decade-long international T20 career. The India opener’s talent has never been in doubt, just that he hasn’t always utilised the opportunities that have come his way.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On Sunday at the Eden Gardens, another such opportunity landed in the 31-year-old’s path and this time, he wasn’t found wanting. Samson’s commanding unbeaten 97 (50b, 12×4, 4×6) formed the backbone of India’s five-wicket win over the West Indies, and the ride taking his team into the ongoing T20 World Cup semifinals.

England are up next for Suryakumar Yadav’s men, the final two steps that remain in their climb towards a historic title defence.It was quite apt that Samson sealed it with a punch over mid-on.A target of 196 may seem daunting on the face of it, but when the chase is on a flat track and driven by batters who are capable of delivering, it doesn’t seem all that challenging. That India made it look a little turbulent was primarily because Samson was waging a lone battle for most of the innings. A 58-run stand with Surya (18) had Samson as the dominant partner. The 42 he added with Tilak Varma (27, 15b, 4×4, 1×6) was more on equal terms. Similar with Hardik Pandya (17) who survived a sitter.The constant in all these partnerships was Samson, who displayed his array of shots, packing enough punch behind them. This innings is surely among the most memorable that Samson has played, if not the defining one.Earlier, the West Indies once more showed their tendency of falling apart when things seem to be going perfectly for them. Yet, the discovery of this tournament is that they also have the batting depth to fight back. Jason Holder and Rovman Powell produced that fightback when the West Indies innings was in trouble.Opening with Shai Hope and Roston Chase, they were off to a reasonable start, if not a flier.A powerplay of 45 without any loss looked to be the kind of platform they could build on, of course with a little help from Abhishek Sharma, who dropped a simple chance from Chase off Bumrah when the batter was on 14. Losing Hope, who wasn’t as fluent as Chase, in the ninth over at the score of 68 meant West Indies still held the upper hand.Hope’s 32 off 33 balls would be disappointing for an opener who had the advantage of powerplay. Chase was a lot more aggressive for his 40 and Shimron Hetmyer kind of made up for the lost ground with a rocking 12-ball 27. However, his innings proved to be just a cameo, being dismissed to the faintest of an edge.That was in Bumrah’s second over and the innings’ 12th. He accounted for Chase in the same over and suddenly the West Indies innings seemed to be falling apart. It was then that Holder and Powell came together to script a recovery. Their unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 76 came in just 35 balls. Holder (37*, 22b, 2×4, 3×6), an asset to have in the lower order, continued from he had left against South Africa. Powell (34*, 19b, 3×4, 2×6) showed once again that his calm demeanour masks a fiery batter within.The duo, struck at the India bowlers, the best of them, Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, going for 36 and 40 respectively.

NEW DELHI: Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir delivered a stirring endorsement of Sanju Samson after the batter’s unbeaten 97 powered India into the T20 World Cup semifinals, calling the knock a glimpse of the “true potential” the team always believed in.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Samson’s majestic 97* at the iconic Eden Gardens guided India to a five-wicket win over West Indies in a high-pressure Super Eight clash, keeping alive their dream of retaining the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title at home.“Sanju is a world-class player, we all know how good a player he is. And it was all about backing him. And then when the team needed him the most, obviously today was a day where he probably showed his true potential, and hopefully, this is a time for him to kick off and probably two more games to go,” Gambhir told reporters after the match.

Under scrutiny following a lean run and a difficult series against New Zealand before the tournament, Samson responded in the most emphatic fashion. Chasing 196, India were wobbling early before the right-hander anchored the innings with calm authority, carrying his bat through the chase.Gambhir was particularly impressed by the manner of the innings.“Look, I actually thought that he never accelerated the innings. It was just a very, very normal cricketing shot, and I never saw any muscling the ball as well, and that is the kind of talent he has. When you know that you’re in control of the game and you know that you’re feeling good, he’s hitting the ball really well in the nets and it’s about going in the middle and showcasing that skill that you had,” he said.Highlighting Samson’s composure on a good batting surface with a quick outfield, Gambhir reiterated his long-standing faith. “I have always said that he is a world-class player, he is a great talent and hopefully he can kick off now and hopefully we can see a lot more innings like this from Sanju.”He also brushed aside criticism centred on past scores. “People will keep looking at his scores and stuff, but then coming back into the team and then playing that kind of innings… it must have given him a lot of confidence. Because obviously, the guy had a tough series against New Zealand. But we always knew the kind of potential he had.”

Sanju Samson and skipper Suryakumar Yadav run between wickets. (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: A night of reckoning at the Eden Gardens turned into a night of redemption for Sanju Samson, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav could not have scripted it better.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With India’s T20 World Cup Super Eight campaign hanging by a thread, Samson smashed an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls to power India to a five-wicket win over West Indies, sealing a semifinal berth. Under scrutiny after a lean run, Samson answered every question in style — and his captain made sure the world knew it.

“Obviously, it’s a great feeling. The way we played, it was a do-or-die, like a quarter-final game, and the way the boys showed character, I think it was a great thing,” Suryakumar said after the match.But it was his heartfelt words on Samson that stole the spotlight.“See, I always say, good things happen to good people who wait, who have a lot of patience. I said it just now as well when I met him. But then it’s all his hard work, what he’s been doing behind the doors when he was not playing, and he’s got the fruit of it at the perfect stage. And the way he batted, took the side completely to victory.”Chasing 196 after West Indies posted 195/4 — powered by late fireworks from Jason Holder and Rovman Powell — India stumbled early to 41/2 in the powerplay. But Samson stood tall, blending timing with audacity. Small partnerships, especially a crucial 42-run stand with Tilak Varma (27 off 15), kept the chase alive.Suryakumar revealed the clarity in the dressing room. “I feel everyone bowled according to plans. We knew 200 is always a good score to chase here with the dew and the ball coming on nicely. And the way the batters responded later on with small partnerships, that was the key.”The skipper also addressed the mounting pressure. “Expectations will always be there, but you should always know what you have to do on the field. I told the boys that there will be pressure… but in games like this, you have to be courageous and take positive options whenever under pressure. When there’s no pressure, there is no fun.”Samson’s 97* is now India’s second-highest individual score in T20 World Cups, behind only Suresh Raina’s 101, and marks the first time he has remained unbeaten in a T20I chase.“Very happy to be there,” Surya smiled about the semifinals. “The way we played in the first game, we deserve that spot.”India next face England in the semi-final at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.

Sanju Samson celebrates his half century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and West Indies, at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: Moments after hitting the winning boundary, Sanju Samson took off his helmet and dropped to his knees to thank the almighty. Relief washed over the face of the right-hander who fired India into the T20 World Cup semifinals with a breathtaking knock. Even before the crowd could capture the winning moments, “Vande Mataram” played at full volume as the Indian dugout rushed out to celebrate what was a top run-chase under pressure. “Lehra Do” was up next and the laser lights joined the act as the announcer egged the crowd on. The party was only getting started in Kolkata after India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) with four deliveries to spare. Until a week ago in Ahmedabad, Sanju Samson was nowhere close to the Playing XI as India were happy with the two left-handers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma as their two openers. However, the consistent off-spin threat, which led to early wickets, forced the think-tank to rework its strategy and bring Samson, a right-hander, back to the top of the order. He had lost his spot to an in-form Kishan but the tactical call forced the left-hander down to No.3 and left-right was restored.

The move worked in the must-win game against Zimbabwe in Chennai earlier this week as it not only gave India a brisk start but also kept spin away. Although spin was introduced early in Kolkata and India lost two early wickets, Samson unlocked his maximum potential when the team had its back to the wall. Chasing a stiff target, the right-hander played an unforgettable knock to help India advance to the semi-final of the multi-nation tournament. He drove well, cut fiercely and exhibited big-match temperament in front of a capacity crowd at the Eden Gardens. Pace or spin, Samson took them down with aplomb and never lost shape in the process. He hit the ball where it was meant to be hit but his ice-cool nerves stood out during his 50-ball 97*, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes.The pitch had a lot of dew and the absence of demons made batting less difficult; however, the scoreboard pressure of the virtual quarter-final made it a daunting task. Wickets falling from the other end didn’t change Samson’s approach; he continued to operate at a healthy strike-rate and kept the asking rate in check. The partnership with Suryakumar Yadav put the chase on track after the early wickets, giving it the much needed push with the breezy 42-run stand, off only 26 balls, with Tilak Varma.

Sanju Samson plays a shot during the T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 1 match against West Indies at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. (ANI)

When Hardik Pandya joined Samson, the equation was under control: 55 runs were needed off 32 balls. With batting to follow, India controlled the game from that point. Samson and Pandya put India in striking distance of the win, with Samson helping India cross the line with five wickets in hand.Earlier, after electing to field first, India’s fielding was a major disappointment, and the group let the bowlers down in excellent batting conditions. Three misfield boundaries, two dropped catches and one missed run-out opportunity cost India dearly as they were not able to peg the high-flying West Indies batting line-up back with regular breakthroughs. The situation wasn’t alarming by any means at the halfway mark, as the bowlers kept the score down to 82/1. The scoreboard could have been much worse had they taken the catch and capitalised on the run-out opportunity but it was nowhere near panic territory.Both Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy had three overs left, and Suryakumar Yadav’s smart bowling changes gave India a tactical edge going into the second half of the innings. The West Indies signalled intent as they took 17 runs off Chakaravarthy’s second over. Body language dropped ever so briefly because Eden Gardens was about to erupt in the 12th over, bowled by Bumrah.

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Roston Chase during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and West Indies in Kolkata. (AP)

Two wickets, including that of the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, got the crowd roaring and ‘Boom Boom Bumrah’ chants reverberated in the stands every time the bowler stood on top of his mark. He had the matchup advantage over the left-hander and dismissed him in just two deliveries, adding another wicket with a slower ball that completely deceived the well-set Roston Chase. From 102/1, the scoreboard became 103/3 in the space of a couple of deliveries and India did what assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate expected: fight fire with fire.When the hosts circled for the final drinks interval of the innings at the end of the 14th over, the scoreboard showed a controlled 119/3, but India still had to get a Hardik Pandya over out of the way. During the break, head coach Gautam Gambhir went straight to the all-rounder and discussed the angle he could explore against Sherfane Rutherford. Pandya executed the plan perfectly, dismissing the left-hander off the first delivery to put India in a commanding position.125/4 with just five to play wasn’t a bad position, especially with four overs from Bumrah and Arshdeep, and one from Chakarvarthy remaining. Heavy dew started to settle in but one would have backed them to do the job in those crunch situations.

West Indies’ Rovman Powell and Jason Holder run between wickets during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Group 1 match against India at Eden Gardens Stadium, in Kolkata on Sunday. (ANI)

What unfolded, however, in the next five overs was a very calculated muscular assault from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder; together, they added 70 runs in the next 30 deliveries, taking down Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Chakarvarthy in the process.Bumrah conceded 26 runs in his last two overs, Chakarvarthy conceded 14, and Arshdeep leaked 30 from his remaining two overs. The 16th over, bowled by Arshdeep, swung momentum West Indies’ way as 24 runs came off it. The left-armer looked out of sorts, conceding two sixes, five wides and two more wides, causing shoulders to drop in the field. Bumrah gave it his all in the two remaining overs and his reaction after Varun let a ball go for a boundary summed up the overall performance in the field. Which was a big let down on their biggest evening of the tournament till date.However, a special Samson plastered all the cracks to book a semi-final date with England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.Brief Scores: West Indies 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37, Rovman Powell 34; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36)India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97; Jason Holder 2-38)

South Africa’s Marco Jansen and teammates (ANI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in New Delhi: South Africa are on an unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup. Except for the double Super Over against Afghanistan, they’ve steamrolled top teams, including India, whom they beat by 76 runs. On a seven-match winning streak, South Africa hopes to shed their ‘chokers’ tag.The legacy of that tag has followed the Proteas for the past two decades. It started with the 1999 World Cup loss to Australia and persisted until the 2024 T20 World Cup, losing the final to India in the Caribbean.

Now, the reigning World Test Championship winners are the team to beat in the T20 World Cup being played in India and Sri Lanka. Their winning run continued with a 5-wicket win over Zimbabwe on Sunday. Coach Shukri Conrad was asked if this brings pressure and the much-dreaded reminder of being chokers?“There’s always pressure. I think it’s what you do with that pressure and how you shift the pressure. As for the C-word [chokers], I think there’s another one for that – ‘cupcakes.’ I’m sure we kind of enjoyed that,” said Conrad.The cupcake reference relates to a TV advert in the lead-up to the India vs South Africa Super Eight match where an Indian fan jokingly told a South Africa supporter about “repeating history” from the 2024 T20 World Cup while teasing them over a cupcake. But after South Africa’s resounding win against India in Ahmedabad, that dig flipped on its head.“No, there’s always pressure and it’s really about embracing that pressure. And we don’t do things any differently. We’re going to prepare exactly the same way for New Zealand. Whether we start as favourites? Probably because we’re the only unbeaten side in the competition. But I don’t know if that adds to the pressure,” continued Conrad.“I think the semi-final is pressure enough. Playing a tough side in New Zealand is pressure enough. So there’s no added pressure.“I’m glad that we’re favourites because I always felt that as a South African team you want to be able to play as a favourite because it’s easy being an underdog. The expectation isn’t that much. But if we can continue doing what we’re doing then we need a little bit of luck along the way as well.“Hopefully that will give us the result on Wednesday and then on to our ‘home ground’ in Ahmedabad,” he finished cheekily.

KOLKATA: It’s a straightforward knockout contest now and number crunching over net run-rate is no longer required. India just have to beat West Indies at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday to make the semifinals of the T20 World Cup. The West Indies are in the same position but punters would advise you to put your money on India. Yet, fingers will remain crossed.The statisticians might still be called upon for calculations in the unlikely scenario of Zimbabwe beating South Africa, but that will only be to decide the group toppers. South Africa are well ahead in that race too. India’s blip against South Africa was a timely reminder that Suryakumar Yadav and his men have to be on their toes all the time. South Africa in fact, also showed that the West Indies, in spite of their recent successes, continue to have a streak of inconsistency that makes them so unpredictable. This Caribbean tendency will also keep India on the alert. One false step can make a huge difference.

Abhishek Sharma’s return to form against Zimbabwe was good news for India, even though the opener wasn’t as free flowing as he normally is. The occasional caution during his half-century indicated that doubts might have crept into his mind following a string of poor scores. Even Tilak Varma would have overcome some uncertainties during his 16-ball 44 against the same opponents. Both will be aware that the West Indies will pose stiffer challenges.

Given Varma’s struggles against spin, facing the likes of Roston Chase, Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein can be tricky. India might continue with the leftright opening combination of Abhishek and Sanju Samson, even though the latter didn’t really utilise the opportunity against Zimbabwe to the full. This combination does help in throwing the rival bowlers off their line.Talking about bowlers, Jaspreet Bumrah will once again be the pacer to watch. As soon as he steps on the Eden turf, he will be reminded of his 5 for 27 in the South Africa Test here last Oct. Despite the dryness of the pitch, Bumrah’s spell could well be a deciding factor. Bumrah has been very economical in the tournament so far, giving away just 90 runs in five matches. His accuracy has been one of India’s biggest advantages.

Of course, the West Indies have batters who can prove to be troublesome for India. Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford would need a little time to settle and can turn out to be threats. Skipper Hope is quite uncharacteristic as a Caribbean batter. His shots are much more orthodox and his aggression is calculated. He is capable of molding his innings as per the situation, a quality that might be required at the Eden.They also have a long batting lineup, with Jason Holder and Romero Shephard producing brilliant innings against South Africa coming at No. 7 and 9. The West Indies are a cohesive lot this time around and their players have iterated they are enjoying the dressing room atmosphere. They have played two matches here during the tournament.

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, second right, celebrates with teammate Marco Jansen (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

TimesofIndia.com in New Delhi: South Africa are the team to beat in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Except a nervous and edge-of-the-seat double Super Over against Afghanistan, they have highlighted their credentials with win versus title favourites and defending champions India. As a result, they’re on a six match winning run and the only undefeated team in the competition. Up next for them are the already-eliminated Zimbabwe in an all-Africa contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.With a semi-final against New Zealand in the offing, this would be the worst time to take the foot off the pedal. What is most impressive for the Proteas is the fact that there’s no single individual at the wheel to keep this juggernaut going all guns blazing. Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs have fired with the bat and Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch have done the job with the ball.

“From our point of view, we’ve been really sharp and what we want to ensure is that we maintain that discipline and intensity and that we don’t drop off as far as those are concerned,” said South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince on the eve of the dead rubber.Six wins in a row and two recent ones coming in convincing fashion, against India and West Indies by 76 runs and 9 wickets, respectively, South Africa have form and momentum on their side as they enter the knockouts. Their semi-final opponents, New Zealand, in comparison, scraped through as Pakistan failed to restrict Sri Lanka in their Super Eight clash. So, is there anything as “ideal lead-up”?“Obviously winning creates good momentum. However you win, sometimes you can have convincing wins. Other times you can have tight matches that really brings the group together, so however you’re able to get over the line I don’t think there’s an ideal way. If you look at England’s last game (vs New Zealand), you win the way that England did (by 4 wickets with 3 balls to spare) and their guys down at number seven and eight making telling contributions, that lifts them as well, gives their batting lineup a lot of confidence knowing that those guys can come to the party and take the team over the line,” explained Prince.“I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way of doing it or an ideal way – I think it’s nice not to have a lot of close games, but I think close games definitely helps in terms of team morale,” he continued.

Zimbabwe will be playing for pride on Sunday (AP Photo/Wonder Mashura)

If Zimbabwe’s last two games are an indication, the odds of it being a close encounter look slim. After becoming the darlings of the tournament with wins over Australia and Sri Lanka, the journey across the Palk Strait has brought with a rude awakening. The Sikandar Raza-led unit were walloped for 254 runs by West Indies (in Mumbai) and 256 runs by India (in Chennai) – both featuring in the top-3 highest totals in T20 World Cup history.“The conditions over here in India is different from what we had in Sri Lanka, different pitches, and all that. So it took a while for us to adapt. We didn’t adapt as quickly or as quickly as we wanted to. And it’s a different surface. So obviously, we didn’t go to plan in terms of our execution but I still think the guys put their hands up they did the best they could,” said Zimbabwe’s bowling consultant Courtney Walsh.“Hopefully we’ll have taken away a lot from these conditions here for future references And I think one of the things, the biggest takeaway is that how quickly you have to adapt in different conditions is one of the things that we will take away from this group,” he continued.In the group stage, Zimbabwe and Raza stressed on being taken seriously and being respected. After the two recent hammerings, the brutality of the sport means they’d have to go about chasing that all over again.

Pakistan’s Shadab Khan (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes Shadab Khan is the frontrunner to take over the national side if Mike Hesson continues as head coach. With Pakistan’s campaign at the T20 World Cup 2026 hanging in the balance, discussions have already intensified over who could replace current skipper Salman Ali Agha. Many experts in Pakistan feel Agha’s position is under threat after the team’s underwhelming showing in the tournament.Pakistan received a timely boost when England beat New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo on Friday, keeping their semi-final hopes alive. To progress, Agha’s men must defeat Sri Lanka in Pallekele by 65 runs or chase down the target with 40 balls remaining to surpass New Zealand on net run rate.

Ahead of that crucial fixture, Afridi pointed to Shadab’s strong working relationship with Hesson, built during their time together at Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League, as a decisive factor.“If Mike Hesson stays on as the coach, then I think Shadab Khan will be made the captain. They have a connection and go back a long way, stemming from their stint with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. Shadab is not a bad choice, but if his performance as a bowler was better, then it would have been great,” Afridi said on Samaa.TV.“We need Shadab to come up with consistent performances. If that comes, we will also feel good about calling him the captain. I always used to say he was the backbone of the team. I think Shadab will be made the captain as they don’t have any other choice. Make him the captain, but he should be a performer,” he added.Interestingly, following Pakistan’s 61-run defeat to India earlier in the tournament, Afridi had urged team management to leave Shadab out due to his struggles with both bat and ball.Shadab later responded sharply to criticism from several former players, including Afridi. After an all-round display against Namibia, he claimed his current team could defeat India in the World Cup, something he said former players could not boast of. The remarks drew significant backlash, and he faced heavy criticism from multiple quarters.Afridi is not alone in predicting a leadership change. Earlier, Shoaib Malik also indicated that Shadab’s elevation may already be in motion.“Shadab’s name has started doing the rounds as far as captaincy is concerned,” Malik said on ARY News.As it stands, Pakistan are yet to register a win in the Super 8 stage. Their fixture against New Zealand was washed out, while they suffered a narrow defeat to England, leaving their semi-final fate dependent on a dramatic turnaround