India moved one step closer to T20 World Cup glory after a dramatic semifinal victory over England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. While wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson played a brilliant knock to set up India’s massive total, he humbly credited Jasprit Bumrah for turning the game in India’s favour and even dedicated his Player of the Match award to the star pacer.
Samson scored a scintillating 89 off 42 balls to lay the foundation for India’s imposing 253/7. However, it was Bumrah’s composure with the ball in the death overs that proved decisive in a high-scoring encounter where bowlers struggled to contain the batters on a batting-friendly surface.
Samson Calls Bumrah a ‘Once-in-a-Generation’ Bowler
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Samson praised Bumrah’s match-winning spell and described him as a generational talent who deserved the award more than him.
“All credit goes to Bumrah. I think he is a world-class bowler, a true once-in-a-generation player. That’s what he delivered today,” Samson said.
He added that without Bumrah’s crucial performance at the end of the innings, the result could have been very different.
“I actually think this award should go to him. If we didn’t bowl that well in the death overs, I wouldn’t be standing here. All credit to the bowlers for backing themselves in such tough conditions,” he said.
Bumrah returned with impressive figures of 1/33 in four overs — a remarkable effort considering the run-fest unfolding at the Wankhede Stadium.
Samson Continues Red-Hot Form in Crucial Matches
Samson’s knock marked his second consecutive fifty-plus score in the tournament. He had earlier delivered a crucial performance in India’s must-win Super Eights clash against the West Indies in Kolkata.
Reflecting on his batting, Samson said he was confident heading into the semifinal after finding rhythm in the previous match.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to play here and we wanted to put up a positive result. I knew I had some form from the last game, so I wanted to make the most of it,” he said.
“I gave myself a bit of extra time because it’s not easy to find form during crucial games for your country. I thought since it’s a big game, I must make the most of how I’m batting.”
Strategy at Wankhede: Score As Much As Possible
Samson also revealed that India’s plan was simple — pile on as many runs as possible because of the batting-friendly conditions at the Wankhede Stadium.
“I calculated my innings a bit and prepared well. I got a bit lucky early on, but once I settled, I wanted to keep going,” he explained.
“Playing in Wankhede, we know that no score is really safe here. Even 250 looked chaseable, so I just wanted to get as many runs as possible.”
England nearly pulled off the massive chase, finishing at 246/7 — just seven runs short of India’s total — in what Samson described as a fantastic semifinal contest.
“They played really well. Credit to the way they batted. It was truly a great semifinal,” he added.
Missing Century Doesn’t Bother Samson
Despite falling just 11 runs short of a memorable century, Samson insisted that personal milestones were never on his mind during the innings.
“Not at all,” he said when asked about missing the hundred.
“In T20 cricket, you don’t really plan a hundred. It comes as part of the process. Once you get a start, especially when batting first, you just have to keep attacking.”
“I’m happy with whatever runs I got and even happier to contribute to a win for my country.”
India to Face New Zealand in T20 World Cup Final
With the thrilling victory over England, India have booked their place in the T20 World Cup final. The Rohit Sharma-led side will now face New Zealand in the title clash scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
India will be aiming to create history and lift the trophy after an impressive run throughout the tournament.