South Africa edged past India in the first ODI by nine runs after setting up a target of 250 runs. Sanju Samson was the last man standing in the face of odds with a blazing knock of 86 runs from 63 balls for Team India after coming in to bat at number six. The lone warrior-like knock in a rain-affected 40-overs match by the wicketkeeper-batter took the Men in Blue closer to the target but was not enough to secure a win. Though his efforts went in vain as India couldn’t get over the line, it did give South Africa a quake in their boots as at one point the Proteas were cruising.
With India staring down the barrel, it was only Samson’s late fireworks that gave hope for victory from the jaws of defeat. In the 40th over, India were up against a tall order of needing 30 runs, and despite Samson's three fours and a six, the Men in Blue fell short.
Reflecting on the performance of Samson, former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn lauded the wicketkeeper-batter for his outstanding knock and also said that the Indian batter might have pulled off a win with his unmitigated hitting ability.
"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.
The ex-South African also linked Sanju’s hitting abilities to former India superstar Yuvraj Singh.
"Shamsi was going to bowl the last over and he (Samson) knew he (Shamsi) had a rough day. I was nervous when KG bowled the no-ball. Because Sanju is a kind of guy who has the potential of Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh), to hit those six sixes and get team across the line when it needs 30+," he added.
Sanju left the pitch with an unbeaten knock of 86 which nearly drove India to a memorable victory single-handedly with almost no assistance from the other end as India's eight wickets fell while chasing the target of 250 in 40 overs.
The second ODI will be played on Sunday, 09 October, at 1:30 PM (IST)
