Indian batsman Sanju Samson was overcome with emotion after producing a match-winning masterclass to take India to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday, March 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In a must-win match against the West Indies, Samson smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 50 balls to help India to their most successful run in T20 World Cup history.
Pursuit 196, India crossed the finish line in 19.2 overs, sealing a glorious victory in front of a roaring Calcutta 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 batsman mixed calculated aggression with calm accumulation to wrest control back from the opposition. After his sensational knock, Samson was visibly emotional as he reflected on his journey and struggles throughout his career.
“It means the world to me. I’ve dreamed of representing my country since the day I started playing. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I’m extremely thankful and grateful. My journey has been very special, with a lot of ups and downs. There were times when I doubted myself and kept asking, ‘Will 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 the Man 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 recognized the value of learning from senior stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
“I have been playing this format for a long time. I have been part of the IPL for about 10-12 years and have been associated with the national team for the last decade. Even though I have not played regularly, I have been in the trenches and learned from greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. It is very important to observe, learn and understand what they have played just for me5 or in different situations.” 60 matches, but I watched almost 100 from close quarters and saw how the best finish matches and adapt their game to the situation,” he added.
T20 World Cup: India vs West Indies Update
Samson also mentioned the change in his approach from the previous game and said it was the biggest day of his life.
“In the last game we batted first so it was about setting up a big total and I wanted to go hard from ball one. This game was completely different. Just when I wanted to pick up the pace, we kept losing wickets. So I just focused on building partnerships and stuck to my process, taking it one ball at a time. I never thought I would do something special like this. I just focused on my role in life.” he added.
Samson’s bad form since 2025
On a night when India needed a hero, Samson rose to the occasion and delivered an innings that not only kept their World Cup hopes alive but could well define his international career. Coming into the match, Samson was not in his best form as an opener since 2025, scoring just 180 runs from 13 innings at an average of 13.84, with a top score of 37. He survived the over just twice in those 13 appearances.
The 31-year-old was also moved down the batting order after Shubman Gill returned to the T20I line-up and struggled to find a rhythm after returning to the top of the order against South Africa and New Zealand. Due to his poor form, he further lost his place against Ishan Kishan at the start of the tournament.
However, Samson silenced his critics by producing one of the best knocks by an Indian batsman in the history of the T20 World Cup to guide his team to the semi-finals where they will face the England cricket team at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
02 Mar 2026 0:21 IST
