India batter Sanju Samson was overcome with emotion after producing a match-winning masterclass to guide India into the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday, March 1 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In a must-win encounter against the West Indies, Samson struck a breathtaking 97 off just 50 balls to power India to their highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup history.
Chasing 196, India crossed the finish line in 19.2 overs, sealing a famous victory in front of a roaring Kolkata crowd. Samson’s innings, laced with 12 fours and four sixes, was marked by composure under pressure as he anchored the chase after two early setbacks.
The right-handed batter blended calculated aggression with calm accumulation to wrest control back from the opposition. Following his sensational knock, Samson was visibly emotional as he reflected on his journey and the struggles throughout his career.
“It means the world to me. From the day I started playing, I dreamed of representing my country. This is the moment I have been waiting for. I’m extremely grateful and thankful. My journey has been very special, with plenty of ups and downs. There were times when I doubted myself and kept asking, ‘Can I make it?’ But I never stopped believing. I thank the Lord Almighty for blessing me with this day,” Samson said in the post-match presentation after receiving his Player of the Match award.
“Learning from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma”
Having been in and around the national set-up for nearly a decade, Samson acknowledged the value of learning from senior stalwarts such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
“I’ve been playing this format for a long time. I’ve been part of the IPL for around 10 to 12 years and associated with the national team for the last decade. Even when I wasn’t playing regularly, I was in the dugout, learning from greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. It’s very important to observe, to learn, and to understand what they do in different situations. That has helped me immensely. I may have played only 50 or 60 games, but I’ve watched nearly 100 from close quarters and seen how the best finish matches and adapt their game according to the situation,” he added.
Samson also mentioned the change in his approach from the previous fixture and said that it was the greatest day of his life.
“In the last match, we were batting first, so it was about setting a big total and I wanted to go hard from ball one. This game was completely different. Just when I was looking to accelerate, we kept losing wickets. So I focused on building a partnership and sticking to my process, taking it one ball at a time. I never set out thinking I would do something special like this. I was simply concentrating on my role. I’m very grateful — this is one of the greatest days of my life,” he added.
Samson’s poor form since 2025
On a night when India needed a hero, Samson rose to the occasion, delivering an innings that not only kept their World Cup hopes alive but may well define his international career. Coming into the fixture, Samson had not been in the best of form as an opener since 2025, scoring just 180 runs from 13 innings at an average of 13.84, with a highest score of 37. In those 13 appearances, he had survived the powerplay only twice.
The 31-year-old was also pushed down the batting order after the return of Shubman Gill to the T20I set-up and struggled to find rhythm after moving back to the top of the order against South Africa and New Zealand. He further lost his place to Ishan Kishan at the start of the tournament due to his poor form.
However, Samson silenced his critics by producing one of the finest knocks by an Indian batter in T20 World Cup history and steering his side into the semi-finals, where they will face England cricket team on March 5 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
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