Mumbai, March 3: Indian wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson has expressed his gratitude to the fans who reached out to him and showed their support after his outstanding performance against the West Indies in the final match of the Super 8s. This helped the defending champions secure a spot in the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-finals.
Samson played a brilliant innings, scoring an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls, as India chased down 196 to defeat the West Indies by five wickets in a virtual knockout match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, in front of a crowd of 67,000 spectators.
After his innings, Samson received praise from fans and the cricket fraternity. In a Tuesday Instagram story, Samson thanked the fans for their support.
"I just wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who showed love, support, and kept me in their prayers. Seeing and experiencing so much love coming my way truly means a lot," Samson wrote in the Instagram story.
"Just want to say - Thank you all. Two more steps to go, India," he added.
Samson played twice in the 2026 T20 World Cup, scoring 22 against Namibia in New Delhi and 24 against Zimbabwe. India primarily preferred the left-handed opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma.
However, after the 76-run defeat to South Africa, Samson was recalled for the Super Eights match against Zimbabwe to break the left-handed monotony and scored a brisk 24 before hitting 12 boundaries and four sixes in an unforgettable innings, helping India reach the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Samson will be in the spotlight as the defending champions India will face two-time winners England in the second semi-final, to be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
