Sanju Samson of Chennai Super Kings (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Sanju Samson knocked fantastically under pressure as he finished unbeaten on 87 off 52 balls to lead Chennai Super Kings to an impressive eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in Match 48 of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. On a surface that offered grip and early turn, the CSK bowlers did well to restrict DC to 155/7 before Samson calmly took control of the chase.Chasing 156, Samson anchored the innings smartly, mixing caution with purpose. His knock, which included seven fours and six sixes, ensured there were no major setbacks as CSK kept moving towards the target. He stepped up at the right moments, making a tricky chase look comfortable as the visitors cruised home with 15 balls to spare.
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Akeal Hosein emphasizes discipline over goalsThe breakthrough came thanks to his unbeaten 114-run partnership with Kartik Sharma, who supported well with 41 not out. The duo absorbed the pressure early and then capitalized when the pitch loosened up, with Samson’s calculated aggression against Kuldeep Yadav and T Natarajan sealing a vital victory that will keep CSK in the playoffs.Here’s how the experts reacted to Samson’s outstanding performance:“Irfan Pathan on JioStar said, ‘Sanju Samson is batting at his peak right now and what stands out is his awareness of the game. He is very clear about which bowlers to target and which to respect. You could see he was cautious against someone like Lungi Ngidi, but the moment a less threatening option presented itself, he shifted gears, took responsibility and increased responsibility. That is the more important understanding matches. on difficult surfaces and doing it consistently, that’s what defines a batter in top form.”“Mark Boucher said on JioStar, “Sanju Samson has shown exactly what you expect from a senior player. He stayed calm under pressure, didn’t panic and chose his moments to attack. When the game started to slow down and the dot balls created pressure, he took it upon himself to shift the momentum. Batting alongside the youngster also played a key role in guidance, which was another valuable experience in his batting. he never looked rushed and a complete and versatile innings made a tough chase look comfortable.”“Eoin Morgan said on JioStar: ‘I didn’t think Sanju Samson’s stock could go any higher but he has added even more value with this innings. The level of control he brings to the dressing room reflects experience and leadership. He lets his performances do the talking.’
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“Aaron Finch said on ESPNcricinfo: “Even though he (Samson) had a dream run at the end of the T20 World Cup and then came to CSK and missed out a couple of times, there’s still going to be a certain pride and pressure and almost a feeling that you can tend to overdo it a bit in your head, that you want to get to a new franchise and really say here’s what you’re saying. pro and a superstar that you’ve been clamoring for, so the fact that he’s batting at another level, it’s great to see.'”“R Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, ‘This could be Sanju Samson’s most successful IPL season. I don’t think anyone who scores 500 every season could do it once or twice, but this year he could do it. If (other teams) allow CSK to qualify, then we all know what could happen. It’s because Sanju has now become a clutch player as he increased the pressure in the game.’ it hasn’t been, but in the last 18 months, if it’s pressure, Sanju comes into play.’
