Top 5 T20I Innings Played By Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson's top five scores in T20Is explored (X.com)Sanju Samson's top five scores in T20Is explored (X.com)

Sanju Samson, the immensely talented Indian wicket-keeper batter, rose to fame owing to his stellar performances in domestic cricket and IPL. However, Samson hasn't been able to convert his deserved chance to national colours.

He made his T20I debut for India in 2015 and disappeared before rediscovering his way up in 2020. However, despite repeated chances over the past many years, Sanju Samson failed to live up to the faith and expectations of his passionate fans.

 While his T20I career hasn't been much noteworthy, here are the five highest T20I scores set by Sanju Samson in his almost decade-long T20 international career.


1. 77 (42) Vs Ireland In 2022

Sanju Samson-Deepak Hodda bring up big partnership vs Ireland (X.com)Sanju Samson-Deepak Hodda bring up big partnership vs Ireland (X.com)

Sanju Samson's highest T20I score to date came against Ireland in January 2022. Playing at Dublin, Samson's innings was a crucial one for India as he came out as opener with Ishan Kishan, and set the stage with a 100+ partnership with Deepak Hooda. 

His 77-run knock included nine boundaries and four sixes, providing India with the much-needed impetus. Courtesy of Samson's blazing start and Hooda's century, the men in blue finished with a humongous 225 runs total.


2. 58 (45) Vs Zimbabwe 2024

Sanju Samson slams a half century vs ZIM (X.com)Sanju Samson slams a half century vs ZIM (X.com)

Another noteworthy performance by Sanju Samson was his 58-run innings against Zimbabwe in July 2024. In the fifth T20I of the series, played in Harare, Samson's knock was instrumental in setting up a competitive total for India. 

India lost the top three wickets with just 40 runs on board before Samson came to the rescue with a 60-run partnership with Riyan Parag. His 45-ball brief innings included four sixes and a single boundary. India finished with 167 runs total and won the contest by 45 runs.


3. 40 (26) Vs Ireland 2023

Sanju Samson in action against Ireland (X.com)Sanju Samson in action against Ireland (X.com)

Sanju Samson's 40-run innings against Ireland in August 2023 stands out as one of his top T20I performances. Playing in Malahide, Samson came in to bat at a crucial juncture and quickly took control of the innings. 

After Ruturaj Gaikwad set the stage with a half century, Samson capitalised on the start to slam a blazing 40 off just 26 balls, including a maximum and five boundaries. Rinku Singh batted well from the other end as the duo steered India to a formidable 185 runs total.


4. 39 (25) Vs SL 2022

Sanju Samson-Shreyas Iyer leads India's chase vs Sri Lanka (X.com)Sanju Samson-Shreyas Iyer leads India's chase vs Sri Lanka (X.com)

In a T20I against Sri Lanka in February 2022, Sanju Samson stood out and played a vital 39-run innings off 25 balls. The match, held in Dharamsala, saw Samson coming to the crease at no.4 in India's 184-run chase. 

His calm and composed approach, coupled with his ability to find gaps and score boundaries, was crucial in steadying the Indian innings. Samson and Shreyas Iyer stitched an 80-odd runs partnership to guide India to a comfortable 7-wicket victory. However, Sanju couldn't finish things off as he perished against Lahiru Kumara in the 13th over.


5. 30 (23) Vs West Indies 2022

Sanju Samson with a straight six (X.com)Sanju Samson with a straight six (X.com)

Sanju Samson played a brief cameo against West Indies in the fourth T20I of the five-game series held in 2022. On a fresh pitch in Florida, Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first. 

However, Samson was dropped down to fifth and could only muster 30 runs off 23 balls he got to face in death overs. Axar Patel's 20 runs off 8 deliveries ensured that India finished with a 195 runs-winning total. However, Samson failed to shine due to minimal exposure in death overs.