Sanju Samson starred in the Rajasthan Royals when they defeated Kings XI Punjab in an exciting 2020 IPL match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. The graceful wicketkeeper-batsman pitched 85 of just 42 balls, which included four fours and a whopping seven sixes, while the Rajasthan Royals achieved the biggest chase in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. After the match, Congressional MP Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter to greet the Rajasthan Royals and Sanju Samson, recalling the time when he told 14-year-old Samson that he would be the next MS Dhoni. In response to Tharoor’s tweet, former Indian cricketer and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir wrote that Samson “doesn’t need to be next.”
What an absolutely incredible victory for @rajasthanroyals ! I have known @iamSanjuSamson for a decade and told him when he was 14 that one day he would be the next MS Dhoni. Well, that day is here. After his two incredible innings at this IPL, you know a world-class player has arrived.
– Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 27, 2020
Sanju Samson doesn’t need to be next to anyone. It will be ‘the’ Sanju Samson of Indian Cricket. https://t.co/xUBmQILBXv
– Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) September 27, 2020
S Sreesanth also responded to Tharoor, saying “he is not the next Dhoni, he is @IamSanjuSamson the only one (sic)”.
It is not the next Dhoni., It is @IamSanjuSamson the only. He should have been playing since 2015 regularly in all formats. Please don’t compare it, if I had given the right chances then I would have been playing like this for India and would have won the world cups … but
– Sreesanth (@ sreesanth36) September 28, 2020
The Rajasthan Royals have won both matches they have played so far at IPL 2020, with Samson playing a central role in both victories.
RR has managed to break the 200-race barrier both times. In Rajasthan’s opening game against Chennai Super Kings, Samson broke a brilliant 74 of 32 balls (1 four and nine sixes), helping his team to score an impressive 216 of seven in his 20 overs.
On Sunday, with Rajasthan chasing 224 to win, Samson once again arrived at the party with another superlative hit.
Along with RR captain Steve Smith, Samson added 81 runs for the second wicket after Jos Buttler had left early.
After Smith was fired, the pressure on Samson increased with Rahul Tewatia struggling to find the limits. The Kerala batsman continued to face the bowlers to keep Rajasthan in the game, but fell in 17th.
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Fortunately for Rajasthan, Tewatia, who at one point had scored 8 of 19 balls, found her range. The off-roader hit five sixes in an over to put his team within range.
In the end Tom Curran hit a boundary for Rajasthan to pass the line with three balls to spare.
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