Former India player Irfan Pathan has said that Sanju Samson virtually made the bowlers defenceless in the Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) IPL 2024 match against the Delhi Capitals (DC). He applauded Sanju’s strokeplay all around the park. However, the Capitals posted a 222-run total in Delhi on Tuesday, May 7. Although Samson smashed a 46-ball 86, DC won the game by 20 runs to reach the fifth position on the points table.

Reviewing the game on Star Sports, Pathan said, “He plays big shots in front of the wickets, whether it is long-off, long-on or midwicket, but you will also see him scoring runs behind square. He doesn’t play the lap shot but scored runs in all four directions of the ground and with proper cricketing shots.”

He again said, “Khaleel Ahmed bowled a perfect yorker, he did everything he could as a bowler, but he (Samson) sliced it for a four. What can the bowlers do? He is in that kind of form. He makes the bowlers totally weaponless. He makes the bowlers lose their morale. He is batting like that and it is enjoyable to watch.”

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson hit eight fours and six sixes during his 86-run knock. He was the lone warrior for the Royals as none of their other players could manage 30 runs. Irfan Pathan added that Sanju Samson would have taken the Rajasthan Royals to a win had he stayed until the end as well.

“He would have won the match if he hadn’t gotten out. He was batting in a zone. Neither fast bowlers nor spinners were proving effective against him. He was easily hitting sixes off the back foot. He played along the ground as well where he hit fours with timing. He either has a back-and-across initial movement or he comes slightly forward. He was preempting the bowlers’ lengths and what they were going to bowl, and batting incredibly well,” Irfan Pathan concluded.