Star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has said that he was gutted after India’s 24-run loss to West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, despite the opener scoring a 23-ball 56, as India’s batting faltered midway and couldn’t get past the 248-run target set by the hard-hitting Windies.
India were bowled out for 223 in the final over while chasing the West Indies’ 248-run target, as Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 off 50 deliveries and Keemo Paul’s five-for helped the visitors level the five-match series at 2-2.
Samson and Abhishek added 60 runs for the opening stand but after the former’s dismissal, India were reduced to 67/2 in no time.
“Whatever you do, it feels different being on the losing side. I actually am a little gutted at the moment. Me and
my contribution wanted to be on the winning side,” Samson said while speaking at the post-match press conference.
“I enjoyed batting down there, but when you are chasing a score like that, there are no second thoughts. You have to back your instincts; you have to back the power game and that is what I did,” Samson added.
Samson acknowledged Hope’s brilliance, conceding that India always faced an uphill task chasing such a formidable target. After his dismissal, India were in deep trouble at 130/5 in the 12th over.
“Hope played a very good innings. He steadied the innings for 20 overs. But once we started chasing a target like 250, we could not anchor the innings, to be very honest,” Samson said.
“We had to go from ball one; that is what everyone tried to do. When Tilak and Reddy were batting, we were still in the game. Needing 13 an over, I felt the game was still on until Tilak got out,” Samson added.
Expectations were high from India’s top order, comprising Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and, in particular, captain Shreyas Iyer, who had struck a hundred in the previous game.
