T20 World Cup 2026: ‘Masterclass in how to chase’ – Former Proteas captain lauds Sanju Samson after heroics against West Indies

Sanju Samson. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

Sanju Samson played a heroic knock in the Super 8 game between India and the West Indies on Sunday, March 1, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. His unbeaten 97 helped the Men in Blue win the match and reach the semi-final.

India chased down a stiff 196-run target at the iconic venue with four balls and five wickets to spare. Samson took just 50 balls for his 97-run knock, hitting 12 fours and four sixes in the process. He orchestrated the highest successful run chase for India in T20 World Cup history.

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis heaped praise on the wicketkeeper-batter, saying that he looked calm in the middle, even when the pressure was immense. Du Plessis described the knock as a “masterclass in how to chase.”

“There was a real calmness about him. You could see it on his face throughout the innings. It was just like the game was slowed down to his pace. Never felt like he was rushed or under pressure. It was like he knew exactly what the bowlers were going to do. A masterclass in how to chase,” du Plessis told ESPNcricinfo.

Former India captain Anil Kumble echoed du Plessis’ assessment, saying that Samson didn’t try to force things and instead, focused on timing the ball.

“In terms of his composure and his shot selection, he was outstanding. The rest of the batters were looking to hit those sixes. Sanju just looked to time the ball and whenever it was there to be hit, he just took advantage of that. Never looked like he had to force things even when India needed 10 runs per over,” Kumble said.

The Men in Blue will now meet England in the second semi-final, which will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This is going to be a repeat of the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, where Rohit Sharma’s men had lost by 10 wickets to eventual champions England in Adelaide.

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