By Alam Zeb Safi
KOLKATA: Sanju Samson lived upto the expectations when he produced a career-defining unbeaten 97 to steer India into the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a five-wicket victory over West Indies in a high-scoring Super Eights contest on Sunday.
In front of over 50,000 crowd at Eden Gardens, India chased down 196 with four balls to spare, finishing on 199-5 in 19.2 overs to confirm qualification from Group 1.
Opting to field first, India were made to toil as West Indies combined power with precision to post 195-4, their highest total of the Super Eights.
Captain Shai Hope and Roston Chase laid a solid foundation with a 68-run opening stand inside nine overs. Hope struck three boundaries and a six in his 32 off 33 balls while Chase set the tempo with a fluent 40 off 25 deliveries, including five fours.
India struck in quick succession after the powerplay. Varun Chakravarthy removed Hope before Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Shimron Hetmyer and Chase in the space of three balls to reduce West Indies from 102-1 to 103-3.
Hetmyer had briefly shifted momentum with a 12-ball 27 that featured two sixes but Bumrah’s disciplined spell (2-36) pegged the innings back.
West Indies rebuilt through Sherfane Rutherford, who made 14, before an explosive unbeaten 76-run partnership between Rovman Powell and Jason Holder transformed the closing overs.
Powell struck 34 off 19 balls, while Holder smashed 37 from 22 deliveries, clearing the ropes three times as West Indies plundered 50 runs in the last four overs to set India a stiff target.
India’s chase began briskly but shakily. Abhishek Sharma fell early and Ishan Kishan departed soon after as left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and Holder struck in the powerplay.
Samson, however, countered immediately. He drove and pulled with authority, racing to his half-century off 26 balls — the fastest of the match and anchoring a 58-run stand with captain Suryakumar Yadav, who made 18.
When Suryakumar fell to Shamar Joseph and Tilak Varma was dismissed for a quickfire 27, the required rate crept above 10 an over. Holder (2-38) and Joseph (2-42) applied pressure with tight lines and well-disguised variations.
Needing 17 from the final two overs, Samson shifted gears again. He pierced the off-side field with consecutive boundaries and manipulated the strike smartly to ensure he faced the bulk of the deliveries.
With five runs required off the last over, India completed the chase comfortably, Shivam Dube finishing unbeaten on 8 as Samson remained stranded three short of a deserved century, his 97 not out coming off 50 balls and featuring 12 fours and four sixes.
India now will face England at Wankhede in the semi-finals on Thursday while the first semi-final will be held between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
Summarised Scores:
West Indies 195-4 in 20 overs (R. Chase 40, J. Holder 37*, R. Powell 34*; J. Bumrah 2-36)
India 199-5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97*, T. Varma 27; J. Holder 2-38, S. Joseph 2-42)
India won by five wickets.
