IND vs WI: Ravi Shastri Showers Praise On Sanju Samson Post 'Spectacular' Knock, Says 'Made Millions Happy...'

T20 World Cup 2026: Indian wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson delivered one of the most incredible knocks under pressure in a crucial match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 against the West Indies, who have won the T20 World Cup twice, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, which propelled India into the semifinals with ease.

Samson's unbeaten score of 97 runs off 50 balls came at a critical time when India required a strong innings from their top order, and former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri praised his composure, serenity, and batting skill after the game.

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"It is Sanju's special Samson today, and that innings was special, because just his calmness, his composure, and just the sublime touch right through that innings," Shastri said on The ICC Review.

Samson faced significant pressure before entering this match, as he had spent the majority of the tournament sitting on the sidelines and hadn’t achieved any major scores in the few games he participated in.

"This was not a league game. This was a knockout contest. People's expectations of Samson have been huge right through his career. No one has questioned his talent, but they have been disappointed with his consistency. He brought everything to the fore today and made millions around the globe happy," said Shastri.

India Through To Semis

In the match, West Indies posted 195/4 after opting to bat, powered by contributions from Roston Chase (40), Hope (32), Shimron Hetmyer (27), and an unbeaten 76-run partnership between Jason Holder (37*) and Rovman Powell (34*). India's bowlers were led by Jasprit Bumrah, who returned figures of 2/36.

In reply, India overcame an early setback before a series of partnerships guided them home. Sanju Samson played a key role in the chase, stitching crucial stands with Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, as India sealed a five-wicket victory to progress further in the tournament.

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"He is a world-class player. We all know how good a player Sanju is. I actually thought that he never accelerated the innings. It was just a very, very normal cricketing shots, and I never saw any muscling the ball as well, and that is the kind of talent he has," head coach Gautam Gambhir said after the victory.

Inputs from Agency