Sanju Samson, the prominent wicketkeeper-batsman for Team India, is constantly in the news. From speculation about leaving Rajasthan Royals to the discussion around his absence from the Indian team’s playing XI for the Asia Cup, Samson’s name is always mentioned. Despite this, Samson has continued to impress with his bat, scoring explosive runs, which kept his name in the minds of his fans. However, even after displaying remarkable batting, Sanju will miss the opportunity to win a significant trophy. This trophy is the Kerala Cricket League, where Samson’s team, Kochi Blue Tigers, has made it to the final.
The final lineup for the Kerala Cricket League 2025 season was finalized on Friday, September 5th. Following the completion of both semi-finals, Aries Kollam Sailors and Kochi Blue Tigers secured their spots for the title match. In the first semi-final, Kollam defeated Thrissur Titans in a one-sided manner, winning by 10 wickets. The Titans were bundled out for only 86 runs, a target that Kollam achieved within 10 overs.
The second semi-final was between the Tigers and Calicut Globestars. In this match, Kochi Tigers batted first. Kochi played this match without Sanju Samson. Samson, who has been in excellent form in this tournament, left for Dubai with the Indian team for the Asia Cup before the semi-finals. However, the team overcame his absence and, riding on Nikhil Thottath’s 64 runs, including 7 sixes, the team managed to score 186 runs. Muhammad Ashiq also contributed with 31 runs off 10 balls.
In response, the Calicut team could only score 171 runs. Akhil Scaria scored 72 runs off just 37 balls, but this was insufficient to secure the victory for his team, and Kochi won the match by 15 runs, securing a spot in the final. Ashiq, who excelled with his batting, also impressed with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 26 runs.
The Kochi team will be without Sanju Samson in the final on Sunday, September 7th. The team won the semi-final without Samson, but the final will be a challenge. Samson has missed an opportunity to win the trophy for his team. He was the team’s highest run-scorer this season. In just 6 matches, he scored 368 runs at an average of 73 and a strike rate of 186, including 30 sixes and 24 fours. Samson will now be eyeing the Asia Cup, where he could make a big impact.