New Delhi: 97* from Sanzhou Samson India sealed their spot in the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup with a thrilling five-match win over West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Under pressure and with his place in the team’s starting lineup in doubt, Samson made an impact at the most critical moment in the Super Eights.Chasing in tricky conditions in the dew, India kept the course of the match thanks to a calm and aggressive effort from the wicketkeeper-batsmen. Samson’s unbeaten 97 off 50 balls became India’s highest score in a successful chase in the T20 World Cup, surpassing Virat Kohliof previous records. He was victorious and when he came back, Captain Suryakumar Yadav He took off his hat and bowed to him, making a warm gesture.
In a video released by BCCI, Suryakumar’s effusive praise for Samson even prompted a hilarious response from the match winner.“Rulayega kya pagle? (Do you want to see me cry?)” Samson quipped while his captain continued to heap praises on him.Suryakumar reiterated his long-standing belief in Samson and revealed what the batsman said to the team when he rejoined the team.“I always say good things happen to good people at the right time. There couldn’t have been a better time, a better stage for a guy like him to step up and give the team what the team needs. The moment he joined the team, I think the first thing he said in the team when we sat together was, let’s do something that the team wants, not what you want to do,” Suryakumar said.The captain chose not to dwell too much on Samson’s difficult stages – in and out, batting out of position – but acknowledged the mental strength behind the bat.“In life, we go through a lot of things, a lot of ups and downs. I don’t want you to go back to what happened all year long, losing his spot, hitting the ball out of position, and then going back to hitting the ball in the same spot.”He stressed that performances like this define the ICC tournament and praised Samson for showing courage on the big stage.“Winning the World Cup is not easy. The World Cup, the ICC Championship, the matches in the ICC Championship are all won by brave people and it was a brave knock. He might have gotten carried away with his good start, but then the way he batted, he held the side together and carried the team through the hump. He deserves all the honors. I am so happy for him, his wife, his family and everyone who loves and supports him. We are one step closer. Hopefully this will continue. I have a lot to say, but I’m happy. He deserves everything,” Suryakumar said.India are now one step closer to the title and their knock will likely go down as one of their best performances in the history of the T20 World Cup.India will now face England in the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
