With his 50-ball knock of 97 runs against West Indies in India’s five-wicket win in their final Super 8 match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Indian batter Sanju Samson not only scored the highest score by any Indian batter in a run-chase in a T20 World Cup match but also showcased his ability to dominate bowlers with ease. While Samson hit two hundreds in the T20I series against South Africa in 2024, the 31-year-old had a mediocre series against New Zealand at home, amassing only 46 runs in five matches.
The Kerala batter also did not start in the playing XI for India in the opening match against the USA before he featured against Namibia due to Abhishek Sharma being unwell. Samson was then again omitted for the group matches against the Netherlands and Pakistan, followed by his exclusion against South Africa in India’s Super 8 encounter. His explosive knock of 97 runs off 50 balls has drawn praise from former Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad, who highlighted how Samson had faced injustice despite scoring runs against strong teams.
“Sanju has faced a lot of injustice earlier. Despite having performances, he was thrown out of the team. This time too, he got the chance because nobody else was scoring runs. So they decided to bring Sanju Samson into the team. He plays the ball very late and has plenty of time to play his shots,” Shehzad said on the show Haarna Mana Hai.
During the conversation, former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir compared Samson to former Indian captain Rohit Sharma. “He reminds me of Rohit Sharma,” Amir chimed in.
Samson, playing in his 60th T20I, set another record during his knock on Sunday. His innings of 97 runs marked his sixth fifty-plus score in T20Is as a designated wicket-keeper, making him the Indian player with the most fifty-plus scores in the format in that role. Shehzad remarked that if Samson were in Pakistan, he would not have been dropped after scoring two T20I hundreds against a team like South Africa. “If we remember, he scored two centuries against a team like South Africa. Can you imagine a player doing that and getting dropped from the Pakistan team after that? Never. So you could sense how much pressure Sanju Samson was under. He controlled his nerves and is a very mature player. India has got some phenomenal players, and Samson showed that,” Shehzad added.
After guiding India to the semi-finals, Samson shared how much the knock meant to him. “It means the whole world, actually, to me. I think right from the day I started playing, started dreaming to play for the country, this is the day I was waiting for. I’m very grateful, very thankful, and I’ve always had a very special journey with lots of ups and downs. But I kept on doubting myself, kept on thinking, ‘What if, what if? Can I make it? Can I make it?’ But I kept on believing, and thanks to the Lord Almighty for actually blessing me today. So I am very happy,” Samson told the broadcasters after the match.
