New Delhi: In a moment long awaited by fans, Sanju Samson finally made his ICC Men’s T20 World Cup debut for India during their Group A clash against Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium here.
Stepping in for the unwell Abhishek Sharma, the Kerala stalwart opened the innings alongside Ishan Kishan and delivered a blistering cameo of 22 runs off just 8 balls, smashing three towering sixes and one crisp four before being dismissed in the second over.
While his aggressive knock provided India with a fiery start, it was Samson’s age that etched his name into the record books. At 31 years and 93 days, he became the second-oldest Indian player to make a T20 World Cup debut, trailing only leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who debuted at 31 years and 117 days against Pakistan in Mirpur during the 2014 edition.
Samson surpassed several notable names in this elite list, including current T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav (31 years and 40 days in Dubai, 2021); Ashish Nehra (31 years and 2 days in St Lucia, 2010); and Lakshmipathi Balaji (30 years and 358 days in Colombo, 2012). The stylish right-hander’s late entry into the global showpiece highlights his persistence amid years of domestic dominance and sporadic international opportunities.
Despite the brief but explosive innings, Samson’s performance reignited discussions about his ability to convert promising starts into match-defining knocks. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, continued their strong campaign after an opening win, with Jasprit Bumrah returning to bolster the attack.
This milestone debut underscores Samson’s journey from a much-talked-about talent to a World Cup participant, proving that perseverance can triumph over prolonged waits.