T20 World Cup: India pip West Indies to reach semi-finals
What's the story
The Indian cricket team has reached the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after edging past West Indies in a crucial Super 8s Group 1 encounter. The match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata witnessed West Indies manage 196/4 in 20 overs. In response, Sanju Samson played a superb hand as India toppled West Indies to record their highest T20 World Cup chase.
WI
WI innings summary
WI openers Shai Hope and Roston Chase added 68 runs. The Men in Maroon were then jolted with two quick dismissals in the 12th over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. Sherfane Rutherford also perished quickly, leaving WI at 119/4. Thereafter, quality unbeaten knocks from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder helped WI get to 196/4. For India, Bumrah picked 2/36 from 4 overs.
Openers
Key numbers for Hope and Chase
Hope scored a 33-ball 32. He smashed three fours and a six. In 67 T20Is, Hope owns 1,672 runs at 29.85. In 10 T20 World Cup matches, he has amassed 324 runs at 40.5. Chase managed 40 runs off 25 balls (4s: 5, 6s: 1). In 57 T20Is (42 innings), Chase now has 813 runs at 23.91.
Hetmyer
Hetmyer gets to 248 runs in T20 World Cup 2026
Hetmyer struck a breezy 12-ball 27. He slammed 2 sixes and a four. In 82 T20Is (72 innings), the southpaw has collected 1,593 runs at 24.5. He is now one shy of 100 sixes (99). In the 2026 T20 World Cup, Hetmyer has raced to 248 runs from 7 matches at 41.33. He owns 19 sixes in the ongoing tournament.
Duel
Bumrah dismisses Hetmyer for the 6th time in T20s
Across 10 T20 innings, Bumrah has dismissed Hetmyer six times, as per ESPNcricinfo. The batter has faced 23 balls in this rivalry, scoring 17 runs. 11 deliveries have been dot balls with Hetmyer managing to hit a solitary four. Hetmyer averages 2.83 versus Bumrah. In Men's T20Is, Bumrah has now dismissed Hetmyer twice across three innings. Hetmyer averages 4 in this duel.
Duo
Powell and Holder make their presence felt
Powell and Holder make their presence felt with an unbeaten 76-run stand for the 5th wicket. Powell smashed a 19-ball 34*. He hit three fours and 2 sixes. In 117 T20Is (103 innings), Powell has 2,261 runs at 25.98. He has completed 150 sixes. Holder hit a 22-ball 37* (4s: 2, 6s: 3). In 96 T20Is (68 innings), he owns 888 runs at 18.5.
Information
Bumrah the pick of the Indian bowlers
Bumrah ended with 2/36 from his 4 overs. In 93 T20Is, he now has 116 scalps at 18.44. In six 2026 T20 World Cup games, Bumrah now has 9 scalps. Overall in the global tournament, he owns 35 wickets at 14.22.
India innings
Samson powers India past West Indies
India lost Abhishek Sharma (10) early before Ishan Kishan (10) also perished inside the powerplay overs (1-6). A 58-run stand for the 3rd wicket between Samson and Suryakumar Yadav steadied the ship. Samson then added 42 runs alongside Tilak Varma and 38 with Hardik Pandya. His powerful knock meant sure India completed a win in the 20th over.
Samson
Samson's powerful 97* the difference
Samson's 97* was laced with 12 fours and 4 sixes. He consumed 50 balls. With this effort, he has raced to 1,221 runs from 60 T20Is (52 innings) at 25.97. This was Samson's 4th fifty (100s: 3). Samson went past 100 T20I fours (102). Overall in T20s, now has 8,222 runs from 328 matches (311 innings). He slammed his 52nd fifty (100s: 6).
Do you know?
Samson breaks this T20 World Cup record of Kohli
Samson's unbeaten 97 is the highest knock for India in a run chase in T20 World Cup. Samson surpassed the 82*-run kncok by Virat Kohli against Australia in Mohali in 2016 & vs Pakistan in Melbourne in 2022.
Information
Varma gets to 178 runs in T20 World Cup 2026
Varma did well, scoring 27 runs off 15 balls. He smashed four fours and a six. In the 2026 T20 World Cup, Varma now has 178 runs from 7 matches at 29.66 (SR: 147.10). In 47 T20Is, Varma has raced to 1,361 runs at 45.36.
Duo
Holder gets to 365 wickets in T20s
Holder picked 2/38 from his 4 overs and was the pick of the bowlers for WI. In 96 T20Is, Holder has raced to 108 scalps at 27.02. Against Team India, he has 13 wickets from 15 matches at 41.92. In the 2026 T20 World Cup, Holder finished with 10 scalps. Overall in T20s, he now owns 365 T20 wickets from 342 matches at 26.81.
H2H
India are 5-0 against WI at Eden Gardens (T20Is)
As per ESPNcricinfo, these two sides have faced each other 31 times in T20I cricket. India have won 20 while the West Indies have emerged victorious on 10 occasions (NR: 1). Coming to their record in T20 WCs, Team India now owns two wins and three defeats against WI. At the Eden Gardens Stadium, India have a 5-0 win-loss record over the Windies.
Information
India reach their 3rd straight semi-final, will face England
India have now reached the semis in three successive T20 World Cup semi-finals. Overall, the two-time winners have reached their sixth semi-final at the T20 World Cup. India will face England at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on March 5.
Record
T20 WC: Samson now owns the 2nd-highest score for India
Samson's 97* is now the 2nd-highest score for India in ICC T20 World Cup history. He surpassed Rohit Sharma's 92 against Australia in 2024. Highest individual scores for India in T20 World Cups: 101 Suresh Raina vs SA, Gros Islet 2010 97*Sanju Samson vs WI, Eden Gardens 2026 92 Rohit Sharma vs Australia, Gros Islet 2024