Sanju Samson Achieves Milestone in IPL with Unbeaten 87 Against Delhi Capitals

Samson's Remarkable Achievement

On May 5 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Sanju Samson, the star opener for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), reached a significant milestone by scoring an unbeaten 87 against Delhi Capitals (DC). This achievement made him the third player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history to accumulate over 200 runs against a single team in a single season. In the current IPL edition, he has amassed a total of 202 runs against DC. Earlier in the season, he had scored an impressive 115 not out in a home match against Axar Patel's team, followed by his recent match-winning performance of 87 not out in Delhi. This feat allowed him to surpass legendary cricketer Chris Gayle, who previously held the record with 196 runs against the now-defunct Pune Warriors India in 2013, which included a remarkable 175 not out, the highest T20 score ever recorded.

Joining the Ranks of Kohli and Rahul

Samson Joins Kohli And Rahul In Elite List

Samson's achievement places him alongside notable players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, who have also scored over 200 runs against a single opponent in an IPL season. Kohli, representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), scored 209 runs against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in 2016, including a century and a 109-run innings. Similarly, Rahul, the former captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scored 206 runs against Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2022, featuring two consecutive innings of 103 runs. Although Samson made it to this exclusive list, he narrowly missed the opportunity to become the third player to achieve two centuries against a single opponent.

Samson's Impressive Record Against DC

Samson's Astonishing Record vs DC

Furthermore, Samson has become the eighth player to score over 600 runs against the Delhi franchise, totaling 620 runs at an average of 44.28 and a strike rate of 156.17 across 19 innings. His recent performance allowed him to surpass former stars Shikhar Dhawan and AB de Villiers on this list. In the match, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Samson's opening partner, was dismissed for just six runs off 13 balls, followed by Urvil Patel, who contributed a quick 17 runs off nine balls. Samson, after a cautious start, targeted bowlers T Natarajan and the struggling Kuldeep Yadav, hitting seven fours and six sixes in his 52-ball innings. He formed a crucial partnership with young Kartik Sharma, adding 114 runs off 66 balls for the third wicket. This season, Samson has already scored over 400 runs, including two centuries and a fifty, placing him fifth in the orange cap race.