Sanju Samson has set the T20 World Cup 2026 on fire with a stunning unbeaten 97 in a must-win Super 8 match for India against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Chasing a big target of 196, the Men in Blue were under immense pressure after the early wickets.
The required run rate kept climbing, but Samson stayed calm and paced the innings smartly and took the Men in Blue over the line when it mattered most during the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash. This knock was not just about power hitting, as Samson also showed great game awareness.
Ruturaj Gaikwad applauds Sanju Samson’s big-game temperament
As wickets fell at the other end, he did not lose focus. The Kerala star stayed till the last and finished the job and earned a lot of praise from the cricket fraternity. Samson’s performance has now received praise from his new IPL captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad.
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In a video shared on social media by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ruturaj Gaikwad appreciated Samson’s calm mind and experience in a pressure chase. Other CSK players also hailed the right-handed batter and India’s stunning win over the West Indies in the same video.
Sanju Gaikwad said in the CSK video: “I feel someone like Sanju only would have taken India home. Because of the experience he had. And, you know, we actually needed that composure and that experience, especially in a chase game. And, I think, brilliant.”
All the love to Sanju and Team India,
from our Lions! 🦁💛🇮🇳#WhistlePodu #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/wW9jbzn3JX— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 2, 2026
Sanju Samson set for big CSK debut in IPL 2026
Notably, Samson is all set to make his Chennai Super Kings debut in the upcoming IPL 2026. The franchise managed to bring the Indian wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan Royals in a swap deal that involved Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
After a disappointing 2025 season, CSK fans now expect Samson to bring stability and strength to the batting unit. Now, the defending champions will hope his red-hot form continues in the upcoming semifinal against England on September 5 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
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Michael Clarke hails Sanju Samson as India’s silent match-winner
Meanwhile, former Australia captain Michael Clarke has showered rich praise on Sanju Samson after his brilliant knock against the West Indies in the Super 8 match at Eden Gardens.
Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, “Samson was the one player for me who, over the course of the entire tournament, has gone under the radar: there was talk about him not even being in the squad. Then he got selected, and then there was talk about who would play between Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Ishan Kishan gets the nod and has an absolute cracker of a start to this tournament.”
He added, “Samson’s probably sitting there thinking, ‘I’m not going to get an opportunity; I’m not going to get a game.’ But what about his innings against the West Indies? 97 from 50 balls. He opens the batting—you talk about handling pressure moments; he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He’s definitely my player in the last couple of games to go under the radar. Without that innings, India doesn’t chase those runs, so he should be super proud.”
