India have moved within two wins of becoming the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title with a fine show at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Chasing a daunting 196, India completed the record chase thanks to Sanju Samson's excellent 97 saw them seal a clash with England at Wankhede.
India had never successfully chased a target in excess of 160 without Virat Kohli in the side. A defeat in Kolkata would have knocked out the Men in Blue out of the tournament.
Chasing 196, Sanju Samson set the tone with some aggressive batting in the powerplay even as Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan were dismissed early. Sanju looked a class apart, batting in zen mode as he kept at the chase. He rebuilt the innings with Suryakumar Yadav. However, the Indian captain was dismissed with India at 99/3.
With the pressure mounting in a must-win encounter, wicketkeeper-batter Samson took control of the chase. He gradually assessed the conditions before shifting gears, punishing anything loose and keeping the required rate in check.
However, Samson wasn't bothered as he went about his business. Support from Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, Sanju sealed the deal with 4 balls to spare.
As the winning runs were struck, Samson sank to his knees in an emotional celebration, acknowledging the moment and the magnitude of his match-winning performance.
His ability to accelerate at key moments, absorb pressure, and guide the lower order ensured India never lost control despite regular wickets at the other end.
Having successfully chased down a daunting target in a knockout scenario, India now advance to the semi-finals with renewed confidence. Samson’s innings not only secured victory but also underlined India’s batting depth and resilience in pressure situations.
With England awaiting in the semi-finals, India will take heart from this hard-fought win, knowing they possess match-winners capable of delivering on the biggest stage.
