In a thrilling display at Wankhede Stadium, Sanju Samson unleashed a storm against England in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter smashed his way to 89 runs off just 42 balls, featuring 7 sixes and 8 fours, equaling Virat Kohli’s highest individual score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
Samson’s explosive knock came in his second consecutive fifty-plus innings of the tournament. He reached his half-century in only 26 balls, propelling India to a strong position after early setbacks. This performance catapults him to joint-top with Kohli, who had set the mark with an unbeaten 89 against West Indies in 2016.
The match saw England win the toss and bowl first. India lost Abhishek Sharma early for 9, leaving them at 20 for 1. Samson then steadied the ship with a 97-run stand with Ishan Kishan off 45 balls, followed by a quick 43-run partnership with Shivam Dube in 22 balls. By the 13.1 over mark, India were 160 for 3.
Prior to this, Samson had turned heads with an unbeaten 97 against West Indies in the Super-8 clash at Eden Gardens, securing India’s semi-final spot. After modest starts against Namibia (22) and Zimbabwe (24), which drew criticism, Samson has silenced detractors with back-to-back fireworks.
Kohli’s other notable knocks include 77 against Sri Lanka in 2014 and 76 versus South Africa in 2024, while Gautam Gambhir hit 75 against Pakistan in 2007. Samson’s resurgence underscores his big-match temperament, keeping India’s title hopes alive in this high-stakes semi-final.