Suryakumar Yadav wrapped India’s do-or-die win over West Indies in a single, pointed message for Sanju Samson — patience gets rewarded — after the wicketkeeper-batter played a timely hand in a tense chase at Eden Gardens to take India into the semi-finals.
“It is a great feeling,” the India captain said after the five-wicket victory, calling it the kind of night that tests dressing-room depth as much as skills. “As everyone said, it was a ‘do or die’. The way the boys showed character was great to see.”
But when the conversation turned to Sanju Samson — who has spent large parts of the tournament waiting for opportunities — Suryakumar made it personal and deliberate. “I say it always that good things happen to good people who wait, who have a lot of patience,” he said. “I said it just now to him (Samson). It is all his hard work that he has been putting in when he was not playing, and he is getting the fruit at the right time.”
The subtext was clear: this wasn’t just about one innings. In a high-stakes chase of 196, India needed calm hands across phases, and Samson’s contribution came as part of a broader pattern — batters resisting the urge to force the finish too early, then stepping on the accelerator with the target in sight.
Suryakumar Yadav underlined that clarity, linking it to what Eden becomes under lights. “We knew that 200 is always a good score to chase here at the Eden, with dew and the way the wicket becomes in the second innings. The ball comes onto the bat nicely,” he said, before crediting India’s method. “I think the way the batters responded with those small-small partnerships to take it deep was crucial.”
With the win sealing a semi-final spot, Suryakumar allowed himself a brief exhale, but not a celebration lap. “Very happy to be at that spot. The way we played from Day 1, I think we deserved that spot. Good to be playing in Mumbai too. But we will not think about it just yet. We will sit back, relax and take the flight tomorrow and then, think of it.”
And in a line that summed up the night’s mood — and Samson’s wait — he added: “Without pressure there is no fun. There will be pressure, but how you take it is more important.”
