Former Indian batter Subramaniam Badrinath showered praise on Sanju Samson after India clinched a five-wicket win against the West Indies in the Super 8 clash of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday to book their place in the semifinals of the tournament.

Samson scored a fantastic knock of 97 runs off just 50 balls with the help of a dozen fours and four sixes. The Indian opener showed all the maturity in his strokeplay and batted with guile to take the team over the line in the run-chase of 196. 

India lost two early wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan however, Samson was able to handle the pressure as he kept India in the game.

Subramaniam Badrinath said on his Instagram handle, “They dropped him when he was scoring runs. Then they dropped him saying he didn’t perform. Yet, an opportunity fell into his lap when Rinku Singh became unavailable, and an opening spot opened up. He wasn’t in great form before the World Cup. But the stars aligned perfectly for him, and an opportunity knocked on his door at the ideal time. And he used it to perfection. What an occasion, with a huge total to chase in a must-win match. He soaked in that pressure and played a brilliant knock.”

The former CSK batter reckons this knock of Sanju Samson will remain the most special, as this was a must-win contest in a World Cup.

“He may have scored many 100s and bigger scores but this knock will remain his most special. He displayed tremendous maturity and proved that experience and character will never fail you. He took a single after every boundary. He only attacked the first and last balls of an over. He carried India across the line to the semi-final,” said Badrinath (via the aforementioned source).

India will take on England in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Thursday.