When Indian skipper Hardik Pandya made the announcement that Sanju Samson will be playing the 2nd T20I against Ireland, the crowd at the stadium could be heard cheering loud. The 27-year-old did not let his fans down as he slammed his maiden T20I fifty at Dublin in just 31 balls. The 50 came in his 15th T20I match, close to 7 years after he made his debut for India in the format. 

India won the toss and opted to bat first against Ireland in the second and final T20 International on Tuesday. The team did not have the best of starts as they lost Ishan Kishan (3) early. However, Samson and Deepak Hooda then joined hands and batted effortlessly to share a 176-run partnership to lay the foundation for India’s mammoth total of 227 for 7. Samson made 77 off 42 balls with the help of nine boundaries and four sixes while Hooda slammed his maiden T20I ton (104 off 57 balls).

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Fans slammed the team management after Sanju Samson failed to get a place in India’s playing XI for the first T20I against Ireland on Sunday. 

On Tuesday, the crowd went berserk when Hardik Pandya revealed the return of Samson to the XI.

The Indian skipper  looked at the crowd and reacted saying, “I think they are liking it.”

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India changed three players for Tuesday’s match, replacing Yuzvendra Chahal with legspinner Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan with medium-pacer Harshal Patel, and an injured Ruturaj Gaikwad with opening batsman Sanju Samson.

“The wicket looks alright and the weather looks awesome and sunny as well. When we bowled first we expected the wicket to do much more than it did. But credit to the boys to keep them down to that total by realizing which balls to bowl,” Pandya said while talking about the game.