India vs West Indies T20 Final Thriller
Thrilling IND vs WI T20 final at Eden Gardens saw West Indies post 195/4 with Powell (34*), Holder (37*), and Hope (32). India fought back hard with Hardik dismissing Rutherford, Bumrah taking double-wickets including Hetmyer and Chase (40), and Varun getting Hope. Samson sealed India's semifinal spot earlier.
This Super 8 clash was a virtual quarter-final in the T20 World Cup, with the winner guaranteed a semi-final showdown against England. The victory also marked India's seventh consecutive T20I win at the Eden Gardens venue. The West Indies' total was significantly boosted by a late onslaught, with Jason Holder and Rovman Powell smashing 70 runs in the final five overs alone. Their unbeaten fifth-wicket stand produced a blistering 76 runs from only 35 deliveries. Jasprit Bumrah's figures of 2/36 were pivotal, as his dismissals of Shimron Hetmyer and the well-set Roston Chase came in the same over, temporarily derailing the West Indies' momentum. Despite the late fireworks, this double-strike prevented the total from potentially soaring well beyond 200. In reply, India successfully completed their highest-ever run chase in the history of the T20 World Cup. The feat also set a new record for the highest successful T20I chase at Eden Gardens. Sanju Samson was named Player of the Match for his spectacular unbeaten 97 off 50 balls, an innings that included 12 fours and four sixes. This performance surpassed Virat Kohli's record for the highest score by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup chase. The defeat was a historic one for the West Indies, marking their first-ever World Cup loss at Eden Gardens. The Caribbean side had previously lifted the T20 World Cup trophy at this very ground in 2016.
