Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Sanju Samson, who has been named Player of the Match in India’s last two victories, could light up the final with a century.
Ashwin had hoped to see Samson score three centuries in the tournament. However, two of the batter’s innings fell just short of the milestone. The former spinner says he has no regrets, as both knocks helped India win crucial matches. Now he would be happy with just one century — and hopes it comes in the final.
India will face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday in Ahmedabad, as they attempt to defend their title. Samson has been one of the players who helped the team reach the summit clash.
At the start of the tournament, Samson was outside the playing XI, but he has now emerged as one of India’s most dependable batters ahead of the final. In the semi-final, he smashed 89 off 42 balls, while in the final Super Eight match — which effectively served as a quarter-final — he scored an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls.
He was named Player of the Match in both games, although he narrowly missed out on centuries. India won one match comfortably, while in the other he was dismissed with nearly seven overs remaining.
After the semi-final, the 31-year-old batter said he had no disappointment about missing out on a century, adding that the innings of 97 and 89 had given him immense satisfaction.
Ashwin echoed a similar sentiment. While Samson has not delivered the three centuries he had predicted, the former spinner said on his YouTube channel that he would be satisfied if Samson finished the tournament with a memorable knock in the final.
“Earlier I said Samson would score three centuries in this World Cup. He made an unbeaten 97 in one match and 89 in another. Now I feel even one century would be enough,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin also noted that Samson had not enjoyed a strong bilateral series against New Zealand just before the World Cup.
“He didn’t have a great bilateral series against New Zealand, especially against bowlers like Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry. But the way he handled Jofra Archer, if he can find a similar answer to Matt Henry, no one will be able to stop him. We are expecting a spectacular finish, and hopefully he can deliver.”
Just before the World Cup, India played a five-match series against New Zealand at home. Although India won the series 4–1, Samson managed only 46 runs in five innings.
During that series, he was dismissed twice by Matt Henry and once each by Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson and Lockie Ferguson.
