Sanju Samson's unbeaten 97 powers India to T20 World Cup semifinals

Sanju Samson scored the most important innings of his international career, with a fine 97 not out to deliver India a five-wicket win over West Indies in a do-or-die Super Eights match of the T20 World Cup at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Sanju's measured innings off 50 balls, which comprised 12 boundaries and four sixes, helped India reach the semifinals of the event, joining England, South Africa and New Zealand. India will play England in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5. The first semifinal will be played in Kolkata on March 4.

India had never chased down a target of more than 173 in a T20 World Cup, which was the score they chased and won against South Africa in 2014. Tonight, the Windies set them a target of 196.

Abhishek Sharma (10) and Ishan Kishan (10) were back in the dugout in the powerplay, but Sanju was still there. Yet, he had not done anything noteworthy in recent memory; just one fifty in 18 innings and scores of 22 and 24 in the World Cup.

But the Sanju who turned up tonight was different. He took responsibility and kept his cool throughout and was always in control of his shots. Even as India lost skipper Suryakumar Yadav (18) and Tilak Varma (27) and Hardik Pandya (17), Sanju was constant. Sanju hit three sixes and six boundaries to get to his fifty off 26 balls.

Earlier, the Windies, for all their shortcomings against slow bowling, bludgeoned the white ball over the rope ten times.

Every Windies batter hit at least a six, and they geared up in the last five overs, making 70 runs. Rovman Powell smashed two sixes to push him to the top of the six-hitting West Indians' list (T20), past Nicholas Pooran. He made 34 not out off 19, while Jason Holder hit three sixes to remain unbeaten on 37 off 22.

For the Windies, they needed to turn to their most potent superpower of power hitting, against the defending champions who have relied on the prowess of their bowlers to get to this stage when the famed batting unit did not deliver consistently.

After being sent in to bat, the Windies made 68, which was the best opening stand by any opposition this edition. Roston Chase, who had never opened an innings before, made 40 off 25 before losing his wicket to a slow delivery from Jasprit Bumrah.

India's ace pacer had tricked the opposition's star batter Shimron Hetmyer with a slow ball in the same over. After Sherfane Rutherford (14) was removed by Hardik Pandya, again caught behind by Sanju Samson, the Windies had seemingly thrown away a good start to be left at 119/4.

But then came in Powell and Holder, adding an unbeaten 76-run stand for the fifth wicket. In between, Abhishek Sharma dropped two catches, the first of which was a sitter.

Brief scores: West Indies 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37 not out, Rovman Powell 34 not out, Shai Hope 32, Shimron Hetmyer 27, Jasprit Bumrah 2/36) lost to India 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97 not out (50 balls), Tilak Varma 27, Jason Holder 2/38, Shamar Joseph 2/42)