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Watch: Deja vu for Sanju Samson as he makes incredible diving save in IND vs WI 2nd ODI; 'Could've been 5 wides'
Siraj's delivery drifted outside the leg stump and Samson was alert to save a boundary in the 2nd ODI on Sunday.
Sanju Samson's sensational save in the last over of the ODI series opener against West Indies made all the difference on Friday. The Indian stumper was quick to dive full-length to his left, stopping Mohammed Siraj's wide delivery that would have probably run away to the boundary fence. Siraj saw the batter shuffling towards the leg side and corrected his line, only to spray the delivery a bit too wide. Samson's save succeeded India's narrow three-run win. Two days hence, he produced an identical save – an effort that left Samson with a grin on his face in the second game at Queen's Park Oval.
Siraj's delivery once again drifted down the leg stump and Samson was alert to save the boundary. "This one is reminiscent of that first ODI where he saved the boundary. Could have been five wides!" said the commentator.
Samson also shone with the bat to hit his maiden ODI half-century during India's 312 run-chase in Port of Spain. He hit 54 and added 99 runs for the fourth wicket with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 63 off 71 balls. The pair tried to take the chase deep but both perished at the stage when India still needed 105 runs from 11 overs.
It was Axar Patel's batting display that helped India pull off an incredible win in the last over. The left-handed all-rounder hammered five sixes and three fours in his unconquered innings and added 51 off 33 balls with Deepak Hooda (33).
Needing six runs off the last three balls, Patel clobbered Kyle Mayers straight over his head for a six as India chased down an imposing 312 with two balls to spare. They took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Axar's whirlwind knock was also his maiden fifty in the 50-over format. "It's very special, to get it in a crucial, series-winning cause is amazing. When I went out, I aimed for 10-11 per over. We thought it could be done as we have IPL experience," Patel, who was adjudged man of the match, said.
"We wanted to be calm and keep cover of the rate. This was special as this is my first ODI since 2017, even my first fifty came here," added the 28-year-old.
