Sanju Samson played arguably his finest knock to keep the Indian challenge alive.
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
In a city suffused with old warmth, India guided by Sanju Samson, dished out a performance for the ages. Sunday’s five-wicket win against the West Indies in the T20 World Cup here at the Eden Gardens was a hard-fought one.
Samson’s unbeaten 97 seemed unhurried but beneath that optical illusion, there was a sense of urgency too. Samson picked his singles, largely hit along the ground, and always found a four to ease the pressure.
Having succumbed to the pull often, Samson focussed on playing straight down the ground. However, he was not averse to freeing his arms to flick a six over square-leg, or rocking back to guide and cut past the off-side cordon. He picked the gaps and while his partners departed, Samson remained unhindered and his match-winning effort sealed India’s semifinal berth.
A target of 196 in a virtual knockout game, comes infused with extreme pressure. Ideally, it demands one batter to be the anchor, and he along with the rest are supposed to score at around 10 per over. Samson delivered, and a few others chipped in too.
Among his partners, Tilak Varma sparkled, while Shivam Dube hit two vital fours in the penultimate over. In an encounter spilling into the last over, Dube had set the base for Samson to lend his finishing touch, which he did with a six and a four.
At various points, Suryakumar Yadav’s men found ways to stay alive. Jasprit Bumrah’s two wickets while the West Indies batted, and Samson’s effort allied with some cameos, meant that the defending champion was always in the race. It was a fact that coach Gautam Gambhir stressed too.
After the loss to South Africa, the victories over Zimbabwe and the West Indies have energised the Indian outfit. But there is never a perfect unit, and India has its chinks. While bowling, extras are being conceded and in games of narrow margins, this could prove fatal. Against the West Indies, 10 wides were bowled.
Catches have been shelled; for instance, Abhishek Sharma dropped two against the West Indies. Under lights, a miscued shot sailing high and then descending can be unsettling. The world is watching, the ball seems to hang in the air for eternity, and the pressure is real. But fielders have to find a way.
These blips need to be ironed out before Thursday’s semifinal against England at Mumbai. For now, the force is with India.
Published – March 02, 2026 06:51 pm IST
