Sanju Samson set the 2026 T20 World Cup on fire with a stunning unbeaten 97 in a must-win Super 8 match against West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Chasing a massive target of 196, the Men in Blue were under tremendous pressure behind the early wickets.

The required run-rate kept climbing but Samson kept his cool, controlled the innings deftly and guided the Men in Blue across the finish line in the most crucial moment of the T20 World Cup Super 8 2026. The knock was more than just a power hit, Samson also showed great game awareness.

Ruturaj Gaikwad praises Sanju Samson’s big game temperament

He didn’t lose focus when wickets fell at the other end. The Kerala star soldiered on till the end, got the job done and earned high praise from the cricketing fraternity. Samson’s performance has now been praised by his new IPL captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.

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In a video shared by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on social media, Ruturaj Gaikwad appreciated Samson’s calm mentality and experience in pressure chases. Other CSK players also praised the right-handed batsman and India’s stunning win against West Indies in the same video.

Sanju Gaikwad said in a CSK video: “I feel only a guy like Sanju can bring India home. Because he has a lot of experience. And, you know, we actually need that calmness and that experience, especially in chase games. And, I think, that’s fantastic.”

All love to Sanju and Team India,
From our lions! 🦁💛🇮🇳#wattHourIstIephosphorusohdyou #time20wattohrIdCyoup pIc.twItter.cohrice/wwatt9jSecondzn3JX

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) medium sizeonercHour 2, 2026

Sanju Samson to make CSK debut in IPL 2026

Notably, Samson is all set to make his debut for the Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL 2026. The franchise managed to bring in the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman from Rajasthan Royals in a swap deal that involved Ravindra Jadeja With Sam Curran ahead of IPL 2026 auction.

After a disappointing 2025 season, CSK fans are now expecting Samson to bring stability and power to the batting unit. Now, the defending champions will hope that his hot form continues in the upcoming semi-final 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, the former Australian captain Michael Clark Sanju Samson was heaped with praise for his superb performance as they defeated West Indies in the Super 8 match at Eden Gardens.

Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clark said, “For me, Samson was the only player who was constantly on the radar throughout the tournament: there was talk about him not even making the team. Then he was picked, then there was talk about who was going to be in Tri-State Samson and Ishan Kishan. Ishan Kishan got the nod and made an absolutely brilliant start to the tournament. “

He added, “Samson was probably sitting there thinking, ‘I’m not going to get a chance; I’m not going to get a match.'” But what about his innings against West Indies? 50 balls 97 balls. He started hitting the ball – you talk about how to handle pressure moments; he took that opportunity with both hands. He’s definitely a player that I’ve flown under the radar the past few games. Without that innings, India wouldn’t have been chasing those runs, so he should be very proud. “