Sanju Samson comes of age in knock-out fixture against Windies at Eden Gardens

Sanju Samson walked into Eden Gardens on March 1 carrying more questions than answers about his T20I future. He walked out having played the innings of his life and taken India into a third consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal.

Chasing a stiff target of 196 against West Indies in a high‑stakes Super Eight clash, Samson produced a masterful, unbeaten 97 off 50 balls, laced with 12 fours and four sixes, at a strike rate of 194. It wasn’t just an explosive knock; it was a complete chase‑builder’s innings, constructed under pressure while those around him wobbled.

This was not the Samson of the New Zealand series, the one who endured a horrible run across five matches and eventually lost his place to Ishan Kishan. This was a batter who looked like he had come of age in international cricket. The talent has never been in doubt; what Eden Gardens showcased was temperament and clarity in a do‑or‑die scenario.

On a night when almost every Indian batter felt the heat, Samson stood apart. Tilak Varma offered support, but the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya all visibly struggled to find rhythm. Samson, by contrast, looked composed, picking his moments and refusing to panic even as the equation tightened.

There were shades of Virat Kohli, the chase master, in the way Samson controlled the tempo, absorbing pressure early, accelerating decisively, and insisting on being there at the end. He didn’t just set up the chase; he finished it.

By the time he sealed India’s passage to the semifinals, it felt like more than just a match‑winning knock. A Sanju Samson special that may well redefine how he is viewed in India’s T20 story.