‘Learned from Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni’: Samson after match-winning 97 powers India into semis
India stormed into the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a five-wicket win over West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, chasing down a target of 196 with four balls to spare.
The architect of the victory was Sanju Samson, who produced a breathtaking 97 off 50 deliveries, striking 12 fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 194 to anchor the chase.
Reflecting on the significance of the innings, Samson described it as the culmination of a long and testing journey.
“It means the whole world to me. Right from the day I started playing, started dreaming of playing for the country, this is the knock I was waiting for. Had a very special journey. Had a lot of ups and downs. Kept doubting myself, thinking will I make it? But I am thankful to the almighty for blessing me today,” he said.
The 31-year-old also underlined the importance of experience and learning from senior players in shaping his approach to the innings.
“I’ve been playing this format for many years and learned from a lot of greats like Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni. That helped with my experience. I’ve noticed how the greats play, and I’ve seen how they change their game according to situations.
“Last game we were batting first, so I was going from ball one, but this game it was different. Every time I tried to go too high, we were losing wickets. Didn’t think I would play this special knock, but yeah, this is one of the greatest days of my life. Just stayed in the present, played the ball on the merit,” he added.
Published on Mar 01, 2026
