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3 min readMar 3, 2026 04:34 PM IST
Sanju Samson's knock helped India beat West Indies and qualify for T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke praised Sanju Samson for his heroic innings against the West Indies in the Super 8 clash at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, where the opener dragged India past the finish line of 196 runs with an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls.
Clarke said that Samson was an underrated player.
“He (Sanju Samson) was the one player for me who, over the course of the entire tournament, has gone under the radar: there was talk about him not even being in the squad. Then he got selected, and then there was talk about who plays between Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan. Ishan Kishan gets the nod and has an absolute cracker of a start to this tournament. Samson’s probably sitting there thinking, ‘I’m not going to get an opportunity; I’m not going to get a game.’ But what about his innings against West Indies. 97 from 50 balls. He opens the batting—you talk about handling pressure moments, he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He’s definitely my player in the last couple of games to go under the radar. Without that innings, India don’t chase those runs, so he should be super proud,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.
WATCH: Michael Clarke talks about Sanju Samson’s innings
Clarke continued: “I’ve always thought he’s underrated, certainly playing in the shorter formats and in Indian conditions. I think he’s built for stand and deliver. He’s got power, he’s got all the shots at the top of the order, and he maximizes the powerplay. He’s definitely my player that’s gone under the radar in the last few games. Well done to him.”
Clarke also pointed out that India in home conditions were a menacing prospect for any team.
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Sanju Samson of India plays a shot during the 4th T20I match between India and New Zealand at Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, India, on January 28, 2026. (CREIMAS for BCCI)
“A good win from India under pressure. I think the West Indies can certainly leave this tournament with their head held high. There’s no doubt—listening to Darren Sammy, the coach, before the game, he was pretty excited that the boys were ready to rock. I thought they had an outstanding tournament.
“As I said in our last podcast, I just think that Indian team in their own backyard is tough to beat. Under pressure—well, it’s virtually a quarter-final, isn’t it? Winner goes through, loser is knocked out. They held their nerve, which again, I think will do them plenty of favors leading into the semi-finals,” Clarke said.
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