Sanju Samson played a brilliant knock of 86 runs in 63 balls in the first ODI against South Africa in Lucknow.
New Delhi: Sanju Samson was at his brutal best in the first ODI between India and South Africa and played a brilliant knock of 86 off 63 balls in Lucknow. His valiant effort though went in vain as South Africa defeated India by nine runs. Chasing a target of 250, the Indian team was down and out for most part of the match but Sanju Samson kept fighting hard and took the game deep. With 30 needed off the last over, Samson hit a six and couple of boundaries to bring the equation down to 15 off 3 balls, however, he failed to get the team over the line.
Meanwhile, former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn is mighty impressed with Samson and accepted that he was a bit nervous when Rabada bowled a no-ball on the last ball of the penultimate over, adding that he feared that Samson can win the game for India.
“As soon as KG (Kagiso Rabada) bowled that no-ball in the last ball of his over, I was like, ‘please don’t let this happen. Because you never know with someone like Sanju, especially with the form that he has got and the belief that he has. I watched him in the IPL, his ability to take down the bowlers and hit boundary at will, especially in the last 2 overs of the game, is incredible,” said Steyn on Star Sports after the match.
Steyn further went on to say that Samson has the ability to hit six sixes in an over. “Shamsi was going to bowl the last over and he (Samson) knew he (Shamsi) had a rough day. I was nervous when KG bowled the no-ball. Because Sanju is the kind of guy who has the potential of Yuvi, to hit those six sixes and get team across the line when it needs 30+,” said Steyn.
