Sanju Samson’s unbeaten inning of 97 runs on 50 balls against West Indies at Eden Gardens not only Made India reach the semi-finals of T20 World Cup 2026 In fact, there was a wave of celebration across the country, especially in his home state Kerala. At the forefront of the praise were Malayalam cinema’s biggest superstars, including Mammootty, Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran, who took to social media to praise the cricketer. “Fearless statement on the biggest stage.”
Mammootty praised Sanju Samson
Megastar Mammootty was among the first to react to Samson’s heroic innings, expressing his appreciation on X (formerly Twitter). “What a knock, @IamSanjuSamson. Pure class. Pure dominance. A fearless statement on the biggest stage. Congratulations to the Indian cricket team for reaching the #T20WorldCup2026 semi-finals.” Mammootty wrote keeping in mind the sentiments of millions of fans watching the match.
The post quickly went viral, with fans agreeing that Samson’s fearless approach against West Indies’ formidable bowling attack exemplified exactly the kind of dominance required in a high-pressure World Cup encounter.
Mohanlal hails Samson’s “excellent innings” as India reach semi-finals
Another great personality of Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal was equally effusive in his praise. “It’s thrilling to see @IamSanjuSamson in such great form! A truly excellent innings that speaks volumes of his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the entire Indian team for reaching the #T20WorldCup2026 semi-finals. Keep the flag flying high!” The actor posted a picture of Samson looking towards the sky after sealing the win.
fun to watch @IamSanjuSamson In such excellent shape! Truly an excellent innings which speaks volumes of his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the entire Indian team for participating in this #T20WorldCup2026 Semi-finals. Keep the flag high! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/jLMYCQSOWc
– Mohanlal (@mohanlal) 1 March 2026
The message went down well with Kerala cricket fans, who have long advocated for Samson’s inclusion in the national team and have proudly watched their homegrown talent be showcased on the grandest stage.
“One of the greatest T20 innings ever”: shouts Prithviraj
Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran described the knock in remarkable terms on his Instagram story to extend a special wish to Samson. “One of the greatest T20 innings of all time! That too in a virtual quarter-final on the World Cup stage!” he captioned his post.
Prithviraj’s assessment was echoed by cricket analysts around the world, who noted that Samson’s ability to remain unbeaten while chasing a record target of 196 – India’s most successful T20 World Cup target – elevated the innings to great status.
‘The Kerala Story’: CS Amudhan’s witty tribute
Adding a touch of humor to the ceremony, Tamil director CS Amudhan, known for the “Tamizh Padam” film series, coined a phrase that instantly gained popularity online. “Kerala story: Sanju Samson takes India to semi-finals,” Amudhan made the post by cleverly re-introducing the title of a controversial film to celebrate Samson’s match-winning heroics.
The witty comment captured the essence of the moment – a Kerala cricketer single-handedly taking India to the semi-finals in front of a packed crowd at the Eden Gardens.
Mollywood unites to celebrate Sanju Samson’s record-breaking innings
Praise poured in from across the celebrity spectrum of Mollywood. Nivin Pauly wrote, “India in the semi-finals! What a sensational innings by @imsanjusamson! Take bow, champion!” Dulquer Salmaan shared a picture of Samson with clapping and heart eyes emojis, while Tovino Thomas simply posted, “What an innings!!”
Expressing his pride, Kalidas Jayaram wrote “Proud of you macha” While director Basil Joseph praised Samson’s never-say-die attitude, calling it “An innings statement.” Veteran actor Prakash Raj offered openly “Thank you @IamSanjuSamson.”
Samson scored 97* against West Indies Helped India chase their highest successful T20I target in World Cup history at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. This inning became the second highest individual score for India in the T20 World Cup, surpassing Virat Kohli’s 82 runs.
Notably, this is the first instance in a 29 run-chase in T20Is and IPL where Samson remained unbeaten till the end of the innings while opening the batting.
With India now set to face England in the semi-finals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5, Samson’s form has given the defending champions hope of retaining their title.