Sanju Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav running between the wickets. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: A night of reckoning at the Eden Gardens turned into a night of redemption for Sanju Samson and skipper Suryakumar Yadav couldn’t have scripted it better.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!With India’s T20 World Cup Super Eight campaign hanging in the balance, Samson smashed an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls to power India to a five-wicket win over West Indies to book their place in the semi-finals. After a lean run under the microscope, Samson answered every question in style – and his captain made sure the world knew it.
T20 World Cup: Gautam Gambhir on Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah and record chase against West Indies
“Obviously it’s a great feeling. The way we played, it was do-or-die, like a quarter-final, and the way the guys showed character, I think it was a great thing,” Suryakumar said after the match.But it was his heartfelt words about Samson that stole the spotlight.“See, I always say, good things happen to good people who wait, who have a lot of patience. I said that just now when I met him. But then it’s all his hard work, what he’s been doing behind the door when he’s not playing, and it’s paying off at the perfect stage. And the way he’s been batting, he’s completely driven it to victory.”Chasing 196 after West Indies posted 195/4 – fueled by late fireworks from Jason Holder and Rovman Powell – India stumbled to 41/2 early in the powerplay. But Samson stood tall, mixing timing with courage. Small partnerships, especially a crucial 42-run stand with Tilak Varma (27 off 15), kept the chase alive.Suryakumar revealed clarity in the dressing room. “I feel everyone played to plans. We knew 200 is always a good score to chase around here when the dew and the ball was coming nicely. And the way the batsmen responded later in the small partnerships was the key.”The captain also dealt with mounting pressure. “The expectations will always be there, but you should always know what you have to do on the pitch. I told the boys there will be pressure … but in games like this you have to be brave and whenever you are under pressure you have to have positive options. When there is no pressure, it is not fun.”Samson’s 97* is now India’s second-highest individual score in a T20 World Cup, behind only Suresh Raina’s 101, and is the first time he has remained unbeaten in a T20I chase.“Very happy to be there,” smiled Surya about the semi-final. “The way we played in the first game, we deserve that place.India will take on England in the semi-final on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
