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Sanju Samson’s scintillating 97 not out off just 50 balls against the West Indies at Eden Gardens has not only powered India into the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals but also unleashed a wave of celebrations across the country, particularly in his home state of Kerala. Leading the chorus of praise were Malayalam cinema’s biggest superstars, including Mammootty, Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran, who took to social media to hail the cricketer’s “fearless statement on the biggest stage.”
Mammootty leads celebrity praise for Sanju Samson
Megastar Mammootty was among the first to react to Samson’s heroic knock, 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 marching into the #T20WorldCup2026 Semi Final,” Mammootty wrote, capturing the sentiment of 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 applauds Samson’s “masterful innings” as India storm into the semifinals
Mohanlal, another legendary figure in Malayalam cinema, was equally effusive in his praise. “Exhilarating to watch @IamSanjuSamson in such sublime form! A truly masterful innings that speaks volumes of his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the entire Indian team for storming into the #T20WorldCup2026 Semi-Finals. Keep the flag flying high!” the actor posted, sharing a picture of Samson looking skyward after sealing the victory.
Exhilarating to watch @IamSanjuSamson in such sublime form! A truly masterful innings that speaks volumes of his character and talent. Hearty congratulations to the entire Indian team for storming into the #T20WorldCup2026 Semi-Finals. Keep the flag flying 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 watched with pride as their homegrown talent delivered on the grandest stage.
“One of the greatest T20 innings ever”: Prithviraj’s shoutout
Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran took to his Instagram story to give a special shoutout to Samson, describing the knock in remarkable terms. “One of the greatest T20 innings ever! That too in a virtual quarter final on the World Cup stage!” he captioned his post.
Prithviraj’s assessment was echoed by cricket analysts worldwide, who noted that Samson’s ability to remain unbeaten while guiding a record chase of 196 – India’s highest successful T20 World Cup chase – elevated the innings to legendary status.
‘The Kerala Story’: CS Amudhan’s witty tribute
Adding a touch of humor to the celebrations, Tamil director CS Amudhan, known for the “Tamizh Padam” film series, coined a phrase that quickly gained traction online. “THE KERALA STORY: Sanju Samson takes India to the semis,” Amudhan posted, cleverly repurposing the title of a controversial film to celebrate Samson’s match-winning heroics .
The witty remark captured the essence of the moment—a Kerala cricketer single-handedly steering India to semi-final qualification in front of a capacity crowd at Eden Gardens.
Mollywood unites to celebrate Sanju Samson’s record-breaking knock
The outpouring of praise extended across Mollywood’s celebrity spectrum. Nivin Pauly wrote, “India into the SEMIS! What a sensational knock by @imsanjusamson! Take a bow, champion!” Dulquer Salmaan shared a picture of Samson with clapping and heart-eye emojis, while Tovino Thomas posted simply, “What an innings!!”
Kalidas Jayaram expressed his pride, writing “Proud of you Macha” , while director Basil Joseph appreciated Samson’s never-give-up attitude, calling it a “statement of an innings.” Veteran actor Prakash Raj offered a heartfelt “Thank you @IamSanjuSamson.”
Samson’s 97* against the West Indies on Sunday guided India to their highest successful T20I chase in World Cup history at Eden Gardens. The innings surpassed Virat Kohli’s 82 to become the second-highest individual score for India in T20 World Cups .
Remarkably, this marked the first instance in 29 run-chases across 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-final on March 5 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Samson’s form has given the defending champions renewed hope of retaining their title.
