Arms spread wide, eyes lifted to the heavens, Sanju Samson had just one thing to say: thank you. Then, he received a hero’s welcome for his unbeaten 97 in a tense change at Eden Gardens.
India were up against a daunting 195 against the West Indies in what was effectively a knockout match.
Lose, and the campaign was done. Win, and a semi-final would be sealed. Samson didn’t just see India home, he also took ownership of the chase from start to finish.
His unbeaten 97 is now the highest score by an Indian in a successful run chase at a men’s T20 World Cup.
What made it more remarkable was where Samson had started this tournament: betrayed by form, wronged by luck.
He wasn’t India’s first-choice opener at the beginning of the World Cup. It took a string of must-win matches before the team turned to him at the top of the order. When the opportunity finally came, it came loaded with pressure. Samson responded with control.
He paced the chase, nudging singles, threading boundaries through the infield, and shifting gears without ever looking hurried. There were no wild swings. No panic. Just clean, purposeful cricket.
Samson later said he had learned to pace T20 chases by watching Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. At Eden Gardens, those lessons were on full display. It was also the first time in both IPL and T20 internationals that Samson had opened and remained unbeaten in a successful chase.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir had long believed in him. After the game, Gambhir said Samson was a world-class player whose quality was never in doubt. He added that it was about backing him and giving him confidence — and that when the team needed him most, Samson showed his full potential.
That belief had been tested during a lean stretch earlier in the year, when Samson was dropped and questions were raised about his consistency and temperament. Gambhir’s view, however, remained steady. He said it was sometimes important to take a player out of pressure situations and give him space.
He added that the team always knew the talent Samson possessed, and that whenever he got his opportunity in a World Cup game, he would deliver. Against Zimbabwe, Samson had hinted at a return to form. Against the West Indies, he made it impossible to ignore.
Chasing 195 in a knockout match can unravel quickly. It didn’t. Gambhir said that in big tournaments, the battle is more mental than physical — that skill doesn’t improve in a week, but the ability to absorb pressure makes all the difference.
Samson looked settled from the outset. Even as the asking rate climbed, there was no sign of anxiety. His partnership with Suryakumar Yadav steadied the innings, and the late acceleration felt controlled rather than desperate.
Gambhir was also quick to share the credit. He said Shivam’s two boundaries at the end were just as important as Samson’s knock. He added that big contributions make headlines, but it is the small ones that win matches.
India now advance to the semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium. For Samson, though, the night in Kolkata was about more than 97 runs. It was about patience rewarded, trust repaid, and a player finally stepping into the moment he had long been waiting for.
Also Read: T20 World Cup: India Face Do-or-Die Clash Against Zimbabwe Today https://www.vibesofindia.com/t20-world-cup-india-face-do-or-die-clash-against-zimbabwe-today/
