Samson stars as India oust West Indies

KOLKATA, India:

Defending champions and co-host India secured the last semifinal spot at cricket's T20 World Cup after a five-wicket win over West Indies with four balls remaining in the Super Eights on Sunday.

After West Indies lost the toss and posted a challenging 195-4, opener Sanju Samson led India to 199-5 in 19.2 overs with a belligerent unbeaten 97 off 50 balls in front of a home crowd of 68,000 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

"The way we played, it was a do-or-die game and the boys showed character," Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said.

India's highest-ever successful chase at the T20 World Cup set up a semifinal clash against unpredictable England in Mumbai on Thursday.

New Zealand will meet 2024 runners-up South Africa in the first semifinal at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. South Africa stayed perfect at the tournament after beating Zimbabwe by five wickets earlier Sunday.

India finished second in Group 1 behind South Africa. West Indies failed to advance after finishing third in the group.

Jason Holder (37 not out) and Rovman Powell (34 not out) shared a 76-run unbroken partnership as every West Indies batter reached double figures.

Opener Roston Chase top-scored with 40 runs off 25 balls, and Shimron Hetmyer smashed a 12-ball 27, with two of his team's 10 sixes.

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah took 2-36 in four overs, including the wickets of Chase and Hetmyer.

SAMSON SPECIAL

Samson stayed focused in a tall chase despite India losing two aggressive batters, Abhishek Sharma (10) and Ishan Kishan (10), inside the power play.

West Indies were sloppy in the field as Gudakesh Motie and Holder dropped sitters and the dewy ground saw preventable boundaries.

Samson reached his first half century in the tournament off 26 balls with six fours and three sixes when he square cut Motie to point boundary and kept the required rate under 10 an over.

Suryakumar added 58 runs with Samson before he was caught low at deep cover by Sherfane Rutherford before Tilak Varma's quickfire 27 off 15 balls further dented West Indies hopes of staging a comeback.

Despite losing Varma and then Pandya late in the chase, Samson sealed the game with a six and a four off Romario Shepherd in the final over.

"We knew 200 is always a good score to chase here with the dew and the ball coming on nicely," Suryakumar said. "And the way the batters responded later on with small partnerships, that was the key."

SOUTH AFRICA UNBEATEN

All-rounder George Linde - brought in for the game to rest Keshav Maharaj - picked up 1-22 in three overs and then scored a crucial 30 not out off 21 balls batting at No. 7 as South Africa continued their unbeaten run to the semifinals.

Dewald Brevis hit 42 off 18 balls with four sixes, while Tristan Stubbs anchored the innings home with 21 not out off 24 balls, as South Africa finished with 154-5 in 17.5 overs.

Earlier, Zimbabwe opted to bat and put up 153-7 (20 overs) thanks to skipper Sikandar Raza scoring 73 off 43 balls.

- AP