The Indian wicket-keeper batter, Sanju Samson played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 63-ball 86 not out was not enough for India in the first ODI against South Africa as they lost the game by nine runs in Lucknow. In the rain-curtailed game that was 40 overs aside, the men in blue Dhawan and his boys finished with 240/8 after they were asked to see off the target of 250.
South Africa put up a target of 250 for India to chase but the men in blue only managed to reach 240/8. Sanju Samson tried hard, scoring an unbeaten 86 off 63 balls, but it was not enough to take his side to get over the line. Samson got some support from Shreyas Iyer, who departed after hitting a 37-ball 50, but they required a bit more contributions from others in order to get a positive result.
For South Africa, Keshav Maharaj was the pick of the bowlers as he bowled a miserly spell of 8-1-23-1. Kagiso Rabada (8-2-36-2), Wayne Parnell (8-1-38-1), and Lungi Ngidi (8-0-52-3) were among the wickets as well as they helped their side to end up on the winning side.
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Earlier in the contest, Heinrich Klaasen (74* off 65 balls) and David Miller (75* off 63 balls) took South Africa to 249/4 after Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and asked them to bat. The Proteas were down to 110/4 at one stage before Klaasen and Miller held the fort and guided them to a challenging total. For India, Shardul Thakur impressed the most with the ball, as he bowled a spell of 8-1-35-2, but received little support from his teammates.
India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson (wk), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan
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South Africa (Playing XI): Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
Here is who the Indian fans appreciated Sanju Samson for his valiant effort:
Just an appreciation tweet for Sanju Samson….
Well fought champ..💛💛
Chetta 🔥🔥#INDvsSA #INDvSAODI #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/f0EBTsJoqh— Navneet MSDian 🚩 (@MSDian067) October 6, 2022
Pride in defeat 💙
Well played Sanju 👏🏼absolutely magnificent 🔥#INDvSA #TeamIndia #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/QdbO1U9oes
— Adarsh Asokan (@AdarshAsokan11) October 6, 2022
Remember the name. #SanjuSamson @IamSanjuSamson #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/dCKF2IqJvf
— Naveen Sharma 🇮🇳 (@iamnaveenn100) October 6, 2022
Lone warrior Sanju Samson 🔥🔥#SanjuSamson #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/GgNsTFyK1A
— */ SAFFRON Kanishk (@saffron_agent8) October 6, 2022
Sanju Samson You Beauty . Well played man ! #INDvsSA l #INDvSA l #SanjuSamson . pic.twitter.com/ZV2XMV2aGp
— Vishwajit Patil (@_VishwajitPatil) October 6, 2022
What a knock by Sanju Samson – 86* in just 63 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes. Almost took India over the line, an innings worth a million appreciation!
Take a bow, Sanju#IndvsSAodi #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/B8CWb5sFEP
— Mr -GAURAV (@AvikGaurav) October 6, 2022
Sanju Samson fans will sleep peacefully tonight knowing that he gave it his all. Well played Sanju.#SanjuSamson #INDvSAODI pic.twitter.com/X9e8p1qmhc
— Avinash (@imavinashvk) October 6, 2022
Every Indian fan to #samson 🔥#IndvsSA#SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/kMYBifVFwj
— Prince Agarwal (@princeagarwal08) October 6, 2022
Well played #SanjuSamson #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/AqEyGG1wPv
— Shubham 𝕏 (@Dankshubham) October 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/MarkRejin/status/1578071721730768896?s=20&t=9ZA5tJ5pPddLQb2u1MMBSA
