Sourav Ganguly (Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry photo)
NEW DELHI: Former India captain and current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly described Sanju Samson’s match-winning 97* as “fantastic” and called him a “very good bowler” after the wicketkeeper-batsman guided India to the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup with a crucial win over West Indies in a must-win Super 8 match.Samson smashed an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls as India chased down a blistering 196-run target to secure a five-wicket win in a do-or-die encounter, taking Suryakumar Yadav’s men into the fourth round.
T20 World Cup: Gautam Gambhir over Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah and record chase against West Indies
Speaking to reporters after the match, Ganguly heaped praise on Samson and asserted that the Kerala player deserves consistent opportunities in India’s white-ball squad.“Amazing. He is a very good player. He should play regularly for India with the white ball,” Ganguly said.
With both India and West Indies tied on points in the Super 8 standings, the Kolkata match effectively turned into a knockout, with the winner qualifying to join South Africa, New Zealand and England in the semi-finals. India’s win set up a quarter-final clash against England on 5 March.Ganguly called the India-West Indies clash a virtual quarter-final and praised Samson’s composure, stressing how dangerous he can be once he settles down.
“You know, when he comes in, he will hurt the opponent. He played the important position,” Ganguly added.Looking ahead to the semi-final against England, the former India captain noted that the Three Lions will pose a tougher challenge than the West Indies.In the same match, India won the toss and elected to bowl. West Indies openers Roston Chase (40 off 25 balls, five fours and a six) and skipper Shai Hope (32 off 33 balls, three fours and a six) added 68 for the first wicket. However, despite the quick brilliance of Shimron Hetmyer (27 off 12 balls, one four and two sixes), the hosts slumped to 119/4 in 14.1 overs.A late onslaught from Jason Holder (37* off 22 balls, two fours and three sixes) and Rovman Powell (34* off 19 balls, three fours and two sixes) saw the duo stitch up a 76-run stand in just 35 balls, lifting West Indies to 195/4 in 20 overs.Jasprit Bumrah (2/36 in four overs) was India’s outstanding bowler, while Varun Chakaravarthy and
Hardik Pandya
They each claimed one wicket, and each conceded 40 runs in their four spells.In reply, India were rocked early, as they were reduced to 41/2 inside the powerplay. A 58-run partnership between Samson and Suryakumar Yadav (18) stabilized the innings and revived the chase. Samson then combined effectively with Tilak Varma (27 off 15 balls, four boundaries and a six), Hardik Pandya (17) and Shivam Dubey (8*) to guide India home with five wickets in hand, sealing a memorable win and qualifying for the semi-finals.