New Delhi, Mar 1 (IANS) Sanju Samson slowly sank to his knees, removed his helmet and looked up in prayer. It was a quiet moment of gratitude, but it carried the weight of everything he had endured in the weeks leading up to it. On a night when India’s T20 World Cup campaign was on the brink, Samson delivered an innings that could define his career.

His superb unbeaten 97 powered India to a tense five-wicket win over West Indies, sealing a place in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals.

The significance of the knock becomes clearer when one considers the journey that led Samson to this moment. Until just one series before the tournament, he was widely expected to open the batting for India. But the arrival of Ishan Kishan, pushed him out of the playing XI at the worst possible time.

His opportunity in the World Cup came through circumstances rather than certainty. An illness to Abhishek Sharma briefly opened the door, but Samson soon found himself back on the bench. Then another twist followed when Rinku Singh had to leave the squad, handing him a fresh chance.

With India staring at a potential early exit and Samson playing only his third match of the tournament, the pressure could hardly have been greater.

What followed was an innings built on courage and clarity. Samson blended aggression with composure, taking control of the chase while ensuring India never drifted too far from the target. Even as the tension mounted, he kept the scoreboard ticking and struck crucial boundaries at key moments.

He fell agonisingly short of a century, unbeaten on 97, but the milestone hardly mattered. In the context of the match — and the path that brought him there — the innings was worth far more than a personal hundred.

India’s hopes of defending the T20 World Cup title at home are now very much alive.

For Samson, it was more than just a match-winning knock — it was redemption written in runs.

–IANS

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