Sanju Samson Shines with Two Straight POTM in Knockouts

India has advanced to the finals of the T20 World Cup for the fourth time. Even with a loss in their first Super Eight game, the team came back strong and has grabbed consecutive wins. The main star has been Sanju Samson, who won the POTM award in two of the most needed wins for the team.

The defending champions of the T20 World Cup have now advanced to the final. From starting the Super Eight with a loss to grabbing their spot in the finals, it has been a long and thrilling journey for the team. Against England, India secured a victory by just 7 runs, in what seemed to be a thrilling chase.

There's one man who has been the key reason why India has reached so far in this tournament. And it is Sanju Samson. He was not picked in the playing XI for the initial games in the tournament. And now, he has won for the Indian team in the virtual knockout and semi-final match.

Samson's Inconsistent Form

Before the T20 World Cup, was not doing well with the bat. In the series against New Zealand, the management had to make their call on whether they will go with Samson and Abhishek Sharma as the opening pair or not. But at that moment, Samson was not able to do well and Ishan Kishan seized the opportunity.

In the entire series against New Zealand, Samson was not able to score even 50 runs combined. Eventually, Ishan Kishan was selected as the opener with Abhishek Sharma. Sanju Samson was not even a part of the playing XI for India's first few games in the tournament.

Redemption Arc

When Abhishek Sharma was unavailable for the match against Namibia, Samson got the chance to play. He was able to score runs and eventually he had gotten his chance late in the tournament. With runs coming off his bat in the two games he played, he also went on to play in the crucial match against the West Indies.

India vs West Indies: Super Eight

The match between India and West Indies was a virtual knockout game for both teams. South Africa had topped the table with 3 wins in 3 games, while India and West Indies had just one win in two games. The match was being played at Eden Gardens, as India won the toss and decided to field first.

Shai Hope and Roston Chase gave a good start to the West Indies. Shimron Hetmyer (27 runs off 12) and Sherfane Rutherford (14 runs off 9) lost their wickets quickly after that. Rovman Powell (34 runs off 19) and Jason Holder (37 runs off 22) gave a finishing touch to the team. West Indies finished their innings scoring 195 runs for the loss of 4 wickets.

Pic Source: ESPNcricinfo

In this massive chase, no Indian batter was even able to touch the 30 runs mark. But it was Sanju Samson who remained the star of the game. He went on to score 97 runs off 50 balls and remained not out to help India get a win. India went on to chase the target with 5 wickets and 4 balls remaining, with Samson winning the POTM award.

India vs England: Semi-final

Once again it was India and England going against each other in the semi-final of the tournament. The match was being played at Wankhede Stadium and it came out to be a feast of runs for the batsmen. England was able to win the toss in this game and they decided to field first.

This would have been a decision which made them question their choices. After getting the wicket of Abhishek Sharma quickly, England struggled against India's top order. Ishan Kishan (39 runs off 18) and Shivam Dube (43 runs off 25) played a crucial role for the team, while from one end.

, missing out on yet another possible century. With his knock, India went on to post a mammoth total of 253 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma played the role of finisher, ending India's innings with much needed boundaries.

England did not have a good time early in the chase, as the team lost quick wickets in search of runs. When England was at 95/4, the main turning point came for them. Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell had an impressive stand which put the Indian fans at the edge of their seats. But Arshdeep Singh struck well, taking the wicket of Will Jacks at the score of 35.

Jacob Bethell stayed till the end but eventually lost his wicket in the form of a run out. India went on to win the game by 7 runs and have now marched into the finals of the T20 World Cup 2026 against New Zealand. for the Indian team.