Sanju Samson’s scintillating 97 not out off just 50 balls against West Indies at the Eden Gardens. It took India to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026 it also created a wave of celebration across the country, especially in the state of Kerala. Leading the chorus of praise were Malayalam cinema’s biggest superstars, including Mammootty, Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran, who hailed the cricketer on social media “A fearless statement on the biggest stage.”
Mammootty leads the popular accolades for Sanju Samson
Megastar Mammootty was among the first to react to Samson’s heroic beating, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to express his admiration. “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 capturing the mood of the millions of fans who witnessed the match.
The post quickly went viral, with fans agreeing that Samson’s fearless approach against a formidable West Indian bowling attack exemplified exactly the kind of dominance required in a high-pressure World Cup encounter.
Mohanlal hails Samson’s ‘masterstroke’ as India advance to semi-finals
Another legendary figure of Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal was equally effusive in his praise. Exciting to watch @IamSanjuSamson in such great form! A truly masterful innings that speaks volumes for his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the entire Indian team for reaching the #T20WorldCup2026 Semi-Finals. Fly the flag high!” the actor posted a picture of Samson looking up at the sky after sealing the victory.
It’s thrilling to watch @IamSanjuSamson in such a majestic form! A truly masterful innings which speaks volumes for his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the all India team for the attack #T20WorldCup2026 Semifinals. Let our flag fly high! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/jLMYCQSOWc
— Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) March 1, 2026
The message resonated deeply with cricket fans in Kerala, who have long championed Samson’s inclusion in the national team and proudly watch their homegrown talent perform on the grandest stage.
‘One of the greatest T20 innings ever’: Prithviraj’s voice
Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran gave a special speech to Samson on his Instagram story and described the beating in remarkable terms. “One of the greatest T20 innings ever! That too in a virtual quarter-final on the World Cup stage!” captioned his post.
Prithviraj’s assessment was echoed by cricket analysts around the world, who noted that Samson’s unbeaten run while leading the record chase – India’s most successful T20 World Cup run – of 196 elevated the innings to legendary status.
‘Kerala Story’: CS Amudha’s witty tribute
Tamil director CS Amudhan, known for his Tamizh Padam film series, added a touch of humor to the celebrations with a catchphrase that quickly gained traction on the internet. “KERALA STORY: Sanju Samson takes India to semi-finals” Amudhan posted the controversial film by cleverly renaming it to celebrate Samson’s match-winning heroics.
The witty pun captured the essence of the moment – the Kerala cricketer single-handedly guiding India into the semi-finals in front of a capacity crowd at the Eden Gardens.
Mollywood unites to celebrate Sanju Samson’s record breaking feat
Praises poured in across the celeb spectrum of Mollywood. Nivin Pauly wrote, “India in SEMIS! What a sensational knock by @imsanjusamson! Bow down champ!” Dulquer Salmaan shared a picture of Samson with cheers and heart emojis while Tovino Thomas simply said, “What a shot!”
Kalidas Jayaram expressed his pride by writing “I’m proud of you Macha” director Basil Joseph praised Samson’s never-give-up attitude and called it “inning statement.” Veteran actor Prakash Raj offered hearty congratulations “Thank you @IamSanjuSamson.”
Samson’s 97* v West Indies led India to the most successful T20I chase in World Cup history at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. The innings surpassed Virat Kohli’s 82 to become the second highest individual score for India in T20 World Cups.
Interestingly, this was the first instance in Samson’s 29-run chase across T20Is and IPL that he remained unbeaten till the end of the innings while opening the batting.
Samson’s form has given the defending champions renewed hope of retaining their title as India take on England in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.
