Big game for the Men in Blue at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. High Octane clash as all eyes on defending champs. Cricketing enthusiasts waved the Indian flags with supportive chants all over in the City of Joy. It wasn’t just some game, it was a virtual quarter-final, a knockout, a winner takes all. 😅🏆

Put into bat first, the Windies giants notched up 195/4 in 20 overs. Openers Shai Hope (32) and Roston Chase (40) were the top performers. Powell’s cameo (34* in 19 balls) added the finishing flair. Amidst the carnage, it was the wily ol’ Bumrah, who kept nailing yorker after yorker, and snapped up 2/36 in his four overs.💥

India chased down the total in 19.2 overs as Sanju Samson played a magnificent knock of 97* in 50 balls, to book a date with England in the semi-finals at our very own Wankhede! 😁

Chase attacks early on

West Indies started off on a positive note as Roston Chase struck a quick fire 40 in 25 balls making most of the dropped opportunity. Skipper, Hope anchored the innings with 32 runs. They were placed comfortably at 45-0 in the powerplay. 😰

Spin works its magic

The Indian skipper, aapla Surya Bhau read the conditions well and brought in Axar Patel early on who gave away just five runs in his first over. Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery spin did the trick, as Hope was bowled in the 9th over.

Boom Boom strikes twice in the 12th 💣

Bumrah Vs Shimron Hetmyer is always a key matchup in T20s. A tactical change worked in India’s favour and Bumrah picked Hetmyer’s wicket for the sixth time in T20’s. This was a huge moment in the game and aapli Paltan was rallying behind our MI boys. In the same over, skipper SKY pulled off a stunning catch, dived to his right and stretched full length to pick the wicket of Chase, awarding Bumrah his second.

Kung-Fu Pandya overpowers Rutherford 👊

In a major Blue-and-Gold brag, Hardik grabbed the crucial wicket of MI’s new entrant Rutherford, bowling an off-cutter.😎

Holder-Powell’s huge partnership

Seniors ne apna swag dikha diya. Jason Holder-Rovman Powell stitched a 76 runs stand for the fifth wicket and finished off with 195-4 in 20 overs.

🆒 Samson Reigns Supreme 

A fairy tale finish of 97*(50) came from stalwart-Sanju Samson. Explosive intent from ball number one, mixed with elegance as he dismantled the opposition bowling attack. His masterclass statement knock proved to be vital.

TV holds it together

Tilak’s cameo knock (27 in 15 balls) helped the scoreboard ticking with runs and gave some great support to Sanju with some stylish execution.

India ne apna kamal dikha diya. Semi-final ka time aa hi gaya! Wankhede is ready. Bring it on!! 💪👊

Brief Scores: West Indies 195/4 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Rovman Powell 34*, Jason Holder 37* Jasprit Bumrah 2/36 lost to India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97*, Jason Holder 2/38) by 5 wickets