02 March,2026 12:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanju Samson
Cricketer Sanju Samson's calm and composed performance on the cricket field on Sunday night against West Indies powered India through to the semi-finals. The nail-biting match during the ongoing T20 World cup ended with Sanju scoring a 97 not out as the team chased a target of 196 runs. Sanju's stellar game has received applause from across the country, including the heart of Kerala's film industry.
Samson's fearless stroke play turned the tide in India's favour on Sunday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, sparking celebrations among fans across the country, especially back home in Kerala.
Leading Malayalam cinema stars including Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Prithviraj took to social media to hail the cricketer, praising his memorable feat against the West Indies.
Mammootty, in an X post, wrote, "What a knock, @IamSanjuSamson. Pure class. Pure dominance. A fearless statement on the biggest stage. Congratulations to the Indian cricket team for marching into the #T20WorldCup2026 Semi Final."
Actor Mohanlal also couldn't stop praising Sanju Samson's "masterful innings" as he added, "Exhilarating to watch @IamSanjuSamson in such sublime form! A truly masterful innings that speaks volumes of his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the entire Indian team for storming into the #T20WorldCup2026 Semi-Finals. Keep the flag flying high!"
Prithviraj Sukumar also took to his Instagram story and gave a shoutout to Samson. "One of the greatest T20 innings ever! That too in a virtual quarter final on the World Cup stage!"
Actor Nivin Pauly wrote, "India into the SEMIS! What a sensational knock by @imsanjusamson! Take a bow, champion!"
Among others were Tovino Thomas, Dulquer Salmaan, Prakash Raj, and director Basil Joseph who celebrated Sanju Samson's Sunday innings.
Samson carried his bat, leading India's highest successful T20I chase in the T20 WC and at the Eden Gardens. With his sparkling unbeaten 97', Samson also surpassed veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli (82) to slam the second-highest individual score for India in T20 World Cups.
Samson has opened the batting times in 29 run-chases in T20Is and IPL. This is the first instance of him remaining unbeaten till the end of the innings.
"More than a hundred cricketers in India dream about a day like this. I dared to dream. A young guy from Trivandrum, Kerala, dreaming about playing for the country and winning a game in such a crucial match. I dared to dream and it happened."
