Samson’s unbeaten 97 powered India to a must-win five-wicket victory over West Indies and into the T20 World Cup semi-finals
Gavaskar called Samson a “sincere cricketer”, saying the knock finally brought him the success he deserved
India’s low dot-ball approach was highlighted by Gavaskar as key to chasing down 196
India defeated West Indies by five wickets in a must-win Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight clash, with Sanju Samson delivering when it mattered most. Reacting to the innings, Sunil Gavaskar described Samson as a “sincere cricketer”, saying the knock finally brought success to a player who had waited a long time for his moment.
Chasing a challenging target of 196, India rode on Samson’s unbeaten 97 to seal the contest in 19.2 overs. Early wickets had tilted the balance, but Samson stayed rooted at the crease, absorbing the pressure and dictating the chase till the very end.
Speaking during Sports Star Cricket Live, Gavaskar said, “This knock of 97 not out takes the weight off not just Sanju Samson’s shoulders, but off everyone who knows what a fine player he has been.”
He felt the innings went far beyond the immediate result, adding, “He has had ups and downs, and we have felt them too because he is such a nice guy. Everybody wants him to do well.”
For Gavaskar, the innings represented long-awaited validation. “All Indian cricket fans will be happy that this sincere cricketer has got the success he deserves,” he said, underlining how widely Samson’s journey resonates with those who have followed his career closely.
The occasion only magnified the significance of the performance. Gavaskar said, “To be the Man of the Match in a must-win game is a dream come true. You could see the emotions on Sanju’s face after he hit the winning runs.”
Though Samson finished three runs short of a century, Gavaskar chose perspective over disappointment. “He was three runs short of a hundred and it would have been fantastic had he reached the three-figure mark. But maybe another hundred is on the way in some other match,” he said.
Gavaskar also acknowledged the difficulty of the chase itself. “It was not an easy target to chase down, but this set of players didn’t give up and they pulled off the unbelievable,” he said, crediting India’s composure when the stakes were highest.
Breaking down the chase further, Gavaskar highlighted the value of Samson batting deep. “Having a set batter at one end is very beneficial,” he said, explaining how it allowed strike rotation and kept dot balls in check. “The other batter can look to knock singles and give more strike to the set batter. That way, there are not too many dot balls.”
He stressed how that approach defines modern T20 cricket. Gavaskar said, “In T20 cricket, the idea is to have as few dot balls as possible. If you look at the teams with the lowest percentage of dot balls, India are pretty high up there.”
Summing up the chase, Gavaskar said, “Out of 120 deliveries, if you score runs off 80 to 85 balls, you give yourself a real chance to chase scores like 190 to 200,” before concluding, “and India did exactly that against the West Indies.”
With the win, India booked their place in the semi-finals, where they will face England on Thursday, March 5, at the Wankhede Stadium, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm.
