Shai Hope did not hesitate in acknowledging the difference-maker Sanju. Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 powered India to a five-wicket win over West Indies in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 knockout at Eden Gardens. The West Indies captain called it an “A-plus” innings and admitted his side had been outplayed.
Hope conceded that while the surface aided stroke play under lights, Samson’s execution stood out. “He played really well. It’s a good pitch, especially at night when you’re chasing here. But you can’t take anything away from him. He’s a quality, experienced player and he showed that today,” Hope said, as quoted by the International Cricket Council.
Chasing 196 in a must-win contest, Samson blasted 97 off to steer India national cricket team into the semifinals. The victory sealed India’s place in the last four, where they will face England cricket team on March 5.
He added that Samson controlled the tempo from start to finish. “He paced it beautifully. He was smart, calculated and very clear with his stroke selection. You have to give him full credit even if we wish it hadn’t come against us.”
Earlier, West Indies posted 195/4 after being asked to bat. Hope (32 off 33) and Roston Chase (40 off 25) added 68 for the opening wicket, but the innings lost momentum as wickets fell in the middle overs. A late surge from Jason Holder (37* off 22) and Rovman Powell (34* off 19) revived the total, with the pair smashing 76 runs in just 35 balls to lift West Indies to a competitive finish.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah returned figures of 2/36, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Hardik Pandya claimed one wicket each.
The chase began shakily, with India slipping to 41/2 in the powerplay. Samson then rebuilt alongside Suryakumar Yadav in a 58-run partnership before taking charge. He found support from Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, guiding the side home with composure and authority.
