Sanju Samson was in his elements at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday (May 7) when he hammered Delhi Capitals (DC) to score a magnificent knock of 86 runs off just 46 deliveries.
Though the knock went in vain as Delhi emerged victorious by 20 runs, Samson's knock gave chills to the Delhi fans as he batted at a strike rate of 186.95 and applied relentless pressure on Capitals' bowling attack.
The Rajasthan Royals skipper struck eight fours and six sixes during the course of his knock and helped his side run perilously close to Delhi's mountain of 221.
Samson's whirlwind knock impressed Matthew Hayden and the former Aussie opener and a two-time ODI World Cup winner heaped praise on the Indian wicketkeeper-batter.
"Sanju Samson was batting like a dream, scoring 86 off 46 balls. He's proven his worth time and again," Hayden said on Star Sports.
"Throughout the tournament, he's been a master blaster, handling both spin and pace with finesse.
Hayden mentioned that Samson needed more luck "towards the end of the match" to take his team over the line as Rajasthan put up a valiant show in pursuit of a mammoth total.
"He times his innings well. He's got the power. And the power is a big thing in T20 cricket. Yet, what stands out is his commitment to his team. He just needed a bit of luck, especially towards the end of the match," he added.
Samson has now taken the third spot in the race to claim the Orange Cap. He has aggregated 541 runs in 11 games for Rajasthan in the ongoing season and stands behind Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain has accumulated 542 runs this season whereas the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has aggregated 541 runs.
