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Full Noise by SN
Running It Straight: 6pm TuesdaysMighty Samson powers India into World Cup semi-finals
Ian Chadband, AAP • March 2nd, 2026 8:33 am
Samson | Photo: AAP
Sanju Samson has delivered a mighty match-winning innings against the West Indies to become the toast of all India by guiding them into the semi-finals of their home T20 World cup.
The allrounder proved nerveless under the most intense pressure in the winner-takes-all group clash in Kolkata on Monday (NZ time), hitting the first two balls of the final over for six and four to finish 97no in the five-wicket victory.
Samson, who'd previously perhaps not quite delivered enough on his exceptional ability, recognised his hour had arrived, dropping to his knees and offering a prayer of thanks after lofting the winning boundary over mid-on with just four balls remaining.
"It means the whole world to me," beamed the 31-year-old, who'd only won his place back after India had been hammered by South Africa the week before.
"From the day I started playing, started dreaming of playing for the country, this is the knock I was waiting for ... this is one of the greatest days of my life.
"I've had a very special journey, a lot of ups and downs, kept doubting myself, thinking 'will I make it?' but I'm thankful to the almighty for blessing me today."
Chasing down Windies' formidable 4-195, opener Samson wasn't content to hammer his first T20 World Cup half-century off 26 balls -- his first T20I fifty in his last 13 knocks -- but appeared utterly determined to then take guard again and set his stall out to win the match.
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He did just that in a nervy finish after Hardik Pandya had fallen to Shamar Joseph in the penultimate over with 17 still needed off 10 balls.
Helped by left-hander Shivam Dube, who got the equation down to seven off six balls with a couple of quick boundaries, Samson flicked the first ball of Romario Shepherd's final into the delirious Eden Gardens crowd at deep square leg.
Then he just managed to clear mid-on for his match-winning 12th four to go with the four sixes he'd also smashed in the career-defining knock.
"I've been playing this format for many years. Learned from a lot of greats like Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni. That helped with my experience," he explained.
"I've noticed how the greats change their game according to situations. Last game we were batting first, so I was going from ball one, but every time I tried to go too high, we were losing wickets.
"This game, it was different. I didn't think I would play this special knock, but I just stayed in the present, played the ball on merit."
With the ball, India, who'd put the WIndies in to bat, could again thank superstar Jasprit Bumrah, whose two wickets in three balls of the 12th over to get rid of Shimron Hetmyer (27 off 12) and Roston Chase (40 off 25), pegged the visitors back after they'd flown to 1-102.
Still, though, a tremendous late stand between Rovman Powell (34no off 19) and Jason Holder (37no off 22) powered them into a strong position.
But even after the world's No.1 T20 batter Abhishek Sharma had fallen again for just 10, and both Ishan Kishan (10 off six) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (18 off 16) departed, Samson found a powerful ally in Tilak Varma (27 off 15) before completing his mission.
"See I always say good things happen to good people who wait, who have a lot of patience," beamed Samson's captain Yadav. "All his hard work he's been doing behind the doors when he hasn't been playing, he has got the fruits for it at the perfect stage."
A nation will be hoping he can reprise his heroics on Friday, when India take on England at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, the day after South Africa meet New Zealand in the other semi-final in Kolkata.
The South Africans had earlier maintained their record as the tournament's only unbeaten side when they racked up a seventh-straight victory in a five wicket-win over Zimbabwe in Delhi.
