'Credit To Him For Not Losing Hope': Sanju Samson's Kolkata Masterclass Draws Widespread Praise Ahead Of T20 World Cup Semifinal

Sanju Samson delivered a masterclass against the West Indies to propel India to the T20 World Cup semifinal. The Men In Blue will now face England in the second T20 World Cup semifinal at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5. The famed Indian batting lineup hasn't delivered to its potential and cannot afford to make any mistakes.

Sanju Samson Delivered A Majestic Performance Against West Indies

Samson stayed calm and composed and maintained his stride despite the other Indian batters failing to chip in with runs. The Kerala batter hadn't been the preferred choice, but has now cemented his place with one of the most iconic knocks on the T20 World Cup stage.

The Indian opener also got past Virat Kohli to become the Indian batter with the highest runs during a T20 World Cup run chase. Ahead of the T20 World Cup semifinal, bowling coach Morne Morkel heaped praise on the Indian opener. 

In the pre-match press conference, he said,  "Coming to Sanju, a quality player. I do not think there was a lot of conversation (ahead of the semifinals). He is a guy that always works hard at the nets. And yeah, I think just with that sort of opportunity he got, he showed his class and his experience. He got the opportunity, and as a guy that has played a lot of games, he stepped up in a crucial game. From a coaching or from a mentor sort of side, it was just about giving him the backing.

“Although he sort of lost his place in the team. For him, it was always at nets to make sure he gets the quality work in. Because you never know in a tournament that a situation as we found ourselves can always be there. So credit to him for not losing that hope and keeping on working hard and sticking to his strengths. And then taking the opportunity. I think in professional sports, it is all about staying ready. Credit to him for keeping calm and fighting through that tough little period.”

Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report For IND vs ENG T20 World Cup Semifinal

Thick grass covers on the Wankhede surface have been pretty evident, and with the temperature rising over the last few days, it remains to be seen what percentage of the grass will be removed before the start of the match. Indian batters struggled to cope with the slowers and cutters from the USA pacers, but that is not likely to be the case against England. The surface will remain under the covers and with moisture and humidity in Mumbai, it might turn out to be a good pitch to bat.

A red soil surface is slated to welcome both teams and as we have seen in earlier games, it will help the spinners as the match progresses.

Also Read: India Coach Opens Up On India's Poor Fielding In T20 World Cup 2026: 'Guilty Of Giving Away Maybe 15-20 Runs'