A standing ovation for Sanju Samson at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. What an innings this has been.

From being left out of the playing XI to returning with a roar – this has undoubtedly been Samson’s tournament. And this blistering 42-ball 89 will rank among his finest knocks.

It’s one thing to perform in a Super 8 match, no matter how important it is, and quite another to deliver on the big stage of a semifinal. The nerves, the expectations, the magnitude of the occasion – all of it can weigh heavily on a player.

But Samson handled everything perfectly tonight.

That dropped catch early in the innings offered him a lifeline, and he made the most of it. Boundaries flowed, the confidence grew, and the pressure shifted firmly onto the England national cricket team.

As Samson eventually fell 11 runs short of a well-deserved century, there was a murmur in the press box: “Yaar, he left a century right there…”

That sentiment probably captures the mood across the stadium right now.

But the game is far from over. With Shivam Dube and Suryakumar Yadav at the crease, India enters the most crucial phase of their innings.

Can they keep the momentum going? Or will England find a way to claw back into the contest? The next few overs could shape the rest of the evening.