In a bilateral series earlier this year, Jofra Archer dismissed Sanju Samson three times in just 23 balls across five innings. That sequence did not appear to be a coincidence as the England quick almost created a similar opportunity on Thursday before skipper Harry Brook spilled a chance. For the next 10 overs, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter made England pay dearly, unleashing carnage with a second successive half-century to help India post a mammoth 253/7 — the fourth-highest total in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history.
Asked to bat on a placid surface at the Wankhede Stadium, Samson picked up from where he had left off at Eden Gardens and led the batting onslaught before the Indian middle order — Ishan Kishan (39 off 18), Shivam Dube (43 off 25), Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) and Tilak Varma (21 off 7) — joined a six-hitting spree to propel India to 253/7.
Samson never allowed England or Archer to recover from the dropped chance on 15. He rubbed salt into the wounds by plundering 74 runs off the next 35 deliveries, dominating his match-up against Archer. Continuing his purple patch in India Blues, Samson launched a couple of towering hits against the right-arm quick before nearly offering a chance. After the reprieve, however, he looked in complete control, smashing seven sixes and eight fours.
His unbeaten 97 against West Indies at Eden Gardens on Sunday had provided the trailer to Thursday’s main act, injecting him with the right amount of confidence ahead of the big semifinal. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma (9) failed to recreate his magic at Wankhede and fell to off-spinner Will Jacks. But the dismissal did little to slow Samson, who pulled Archer over midwicket first ball after Abhishek’s departure to set the tone for a 97-run second-wicket partnership with Kishan.
In the process, Samson replicated his Eden feat, racing to a second consecutive half-century off just 26 deliveries. He brought up the milestone by dispatching left-arm spinner Liam Dawson for a six over extra cover even as Kishan joined the party with a flat six over midwicket, helping India cross the 100-run mark inside nine overs.
With the Indian duo threatening to run away with the game, Brook turned to his experienced leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who responded by dismissing Kishan after the left-hander had struck four fours and two sixes.
Promoted to No.4 ahead of skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube showed little respect for the veteran, announcing himself with a couple of sixes off the leg-spinner. Playing at his home ground, Dube kept the momentum going from the other end even as Samson closed in on a sensational century. However, the return of Will Jacks for a second spell broke the flourishing 43-run stand for the third wicket as the off-spinner ended Samson’s 42-ball blitzkrieg with his first delivery.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav (11) added a brief 30-run stand with Dube before Hardik Pandya’s misjudged single resulted in Dube’s run-out, bringing an end to his 25-ball cameo.
Pandya, however, made his presence felt with three sixes and two fours, while Tilak Varma worsened Archer’s night with a couple of clean hits over the fence to propel India past the 250-run mark.
Brief Scores: India 253/7 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Shivam Dube 43, Ishan Kishan 39; Will Jacks 2-40, Adil Rashid 2-41) against England