"Has Potential Of Yuvi, To Hit Those Sixes": Ex-South Africa Pacer's Ultimate Praise For Sanju Samson

07.10.2022 - 07:57 sports.ndtv.com

Right-handed batter Sanju Samson on Thursday showed why he is regarded as one of the most promising batters in the world. He played an unbeaten kncok of 86 in the first ODI against South Africa, at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Chasing 30 runs in the final over, Sanju made a match of it as he took Tabraiz Shamsi to the cleaners, but in the end, the Proteas managed to hold their nerve to seal a thrilling nine-run win.

After the match, former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn complimented Samson, saying he has the ability to hit sixes like Yuvraj Singh. "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," Steyn told host broadcaster Star Sports after the match. "Shamsi was going to bowl the last over and he (Samson) knew he (Shamsi) had a rough day.

cricket South Africa Cricket Team Yuvraj Singh Dale Steyn South Africa India county Dale Sanju

World Cup began in Australia last Sunday with the qualifying-stage matches, from where four teams will join the top eight in the 'Super 12' phase beginning October 22. While the tournament gathers steam leading up to the high-octane India vs Pakistan clash on October 23, here are some very interesting facts and trivia about the T20 World Cup, which is the biggest stage in the shortest format of the sport. ((All statistics in this article are updated till the last edition of the T20 World Cup in 2021))Australia can create history: Hosts Australia have the rare chance of becoming the first team to successfully defend their T20 World Cup crown. Two-time champions: The West Indies are the only team to have won the T20 World Cup two times - in 2012 and 2016. Players to have played in all seven T20 World Cups so far: Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim are the six players who have featured in all seven T20 World Cups held till date.

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Indian batter Shreyas Iyer climbed three spots to reach number 33 and spinner Kuldeep Yadav also jumped five places to enter the top 25 in the latest ICC Men's ODI Players Rankings issued on Wednesday. Shreyas Iyer finished as the leading run-scorer in the recently-concluded ODI series against South Africa, scoring 191 runs in three matches with a century and fifty. Kuldeep Yadav also emerged out of the series as the leading wicket-taker with six scalps in three matches.

"He Can Be India's Version Of AB De Villiers": Dale Steyn Heaps Huge Praise On India Star

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What Sanju Samson Said About Doing "Finishing" Role For Team India

India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been in fine form off late, registering scores of 86 and 30 in the first to ODIs of the ongoing three-match series against South Africa. In the first ODI, Samson played a knock against all odds and his fighting spirit kept the hosts in the game. Needing 30 runs in the final over, Sanju gave it his all, and in the end, Team India fell just 9 runs short. The right-handed batter who is used to batting in the top-order, has now started to come lower down the order when donning India colours and the new role is suiting the batter.

India's Predicted XI vs South Africa, 2nd ODI: Will Mukesh Kumar Make His India Debut?

India face South Africa in a must-win second ODI at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi on Sunday. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side will look for a better batting performance when they battle it out against the Proteas to keep the series alive. In the first game, South Africa had set a target of 250 runs for India in a rail-curtailed 40 overs-a-side game but India remained 9 runs short of the guests' total. While Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer were impressive with the bat, other Indian batters failed to put in a similar performance.

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