India’s victory in the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan sparked celebrations worldwide. Sanju Samson, a key player in the match, has garnered attention not only for his performance but also for his reflections on his career, drawing a comparison to the journey of Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. During an interview with Sanjay Manjrekar on the Sony Sports Network, Samson shared insights into his approach to cricket. He highlighted how Mohanlal, a celebrated actor, has received significant recognition over his two decades in the film industry. Samson stated that, similarly, he has been representing India for a decade, acknowledging the diverse roles he can play within the team. He added, “I can’t come in and say I want to do the ‘hero’ role every time. I can do the villain role, and I also do the Joker role for my country.” Further elaborating on the pressure of the India-Pakistan match, Samson told ESPN, “I really enjoyed the pressure actually. I have not played many India-Pakistan games, but today, I think the pressure was all over there. Three wickets down in the powerplay, so I just had to use my experience, calm the nerves down, and just watch the ball and react. That’s what I did, and it came off nicely. I think I had a really good partnership with Tilak, and really enjoyed playing the game today.” India’s innings faced early setbacks with the quick dismissals of Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill. Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson then worked to stabilize the innings. Samson was later dismissed with a score of 24 by Abrar Ahmed, and Shivam Dube stepped in to build another partnership. Tilak Varma achieved a half-century amidst the high-pressure situation. The match intensified as the target neared, with 24 runs needed from 14 balls. The tension escalated further when only 16 runs were required from 11 balls. Shivam Dube contributed a six to alleviate some pressure, though he was later dismissed. Rinku Singh then entered the field, and the match was ultimately sealed for India thanks to a six from Tilak Varma, followed by a crucial play from Rinku Singh.
