Sanju Samson has long been regarded as one of India’s most talented yet unpredictable cricketers. Elegant with the bat and calm under pressure, the Kerala-born wicketkeeper-batter has often found himself in and out of the team. But on March 1, he reminded everyone exactly what he is capable of.
In a must-win ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash against the West Indies, Sanju Samson delivered a stunning unbeaten 97 off just 50 balls. His knock powered India to chase down a challenging target of 196 in 19.2 overs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, securing their place in the semi-final. It was India’s highest successful run chase in the T20 World Cup history.
Before this, India’s best chase in a T20 World Cup was 174. They had scored 176/4 in 19.1 overs against South Africa in Mirpur on April 4, 2014.
In overall T20Is, India’s highest successful chase stands at 209. They achieved it against Australia in Visakhapatnam on November 23, 2023, finishing at 209/8 in 19.5 overs. Interestingly, India also chased 209 against New Zealand in Raipur on January 23, 2026, sealing that win with 28 balls to spare.
However, the world record for the highest successful run chase in a T20 World Cup belongs to England. They chased 230 against South Africa in Mumbai on March 18, 2016, reaching the target in 19.4 overs with eight wickets down.
The overall T20I record belongs to South Africa. On March 26, 2023, the Proteas pulled off an incredible chase of 259, finishing in just 18.5 overs with only four wickets lost.
Yet, on this special night, it was Sanju Samson who stole the show — calm, fearless and unstoppable when India needed him the most.
Well played Sanju Samson!
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