MI vs CSK, IPL 2026: Sanju Samson’s ‘Lone Warrior’ Century at Wankhede Leaves Internet in Awe

In an IPL 2026 clash, Sanju Samson played a lone warrior's innings, smashing a breathtaking unbeaten century (101* off 54) for Chennai Super Kings against the Mumbai Indians. His single-handed effort propelled CSK to a formidable total of 207/6, earning him widespread praise as he set a new IPL record.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson enthralled the spectators and fans with a breathtaking century knock in the IPL 2026 clash against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, April 23.

After being put into bat first by MI skipper Hardik Pandya, CSK posted a solid total of 207/6 in 20 overs. Sanju Samson led the visitors' batting with an unbeaten knock of 101 off 54 balls, including 10 fours and 6 sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 187.04, scoring nearly 50% of CSK’s total.

For MI, AM Ghazanfar led the bowling attack with figures of 2/25 at an economy rate of 6.20 in his spell of four overs. Left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar also picked two wickets while conceding 37 runs at an economy rate of 9.20 in his full quota of four overs.

Samson’s Century Steals Spotlight at Wankhede

Sanju Samson has once again stepped up for the Chennai Super Kings and delivered a commanding, unbeaten century, despite the wickets falling around him at regular intervals. Samson was hoping for a solid opening partnership with struggling Ruturaj Gaikwad, but the CSK skipper was dismissed for 22 at 32/1.

Though CSK wicketkeeper-batter shared brief partnerships with Sarfaraz Khan (14), Dewald Brevis, and Kartik Sharma (18) to take CSK past the 150-run mark, Samson stood firm at one end, took control of the innings, and single-handedly carried CSK’s innings. In his 31-run stand for the fourth wicket with Brevis (21), Sanju Samson contributed just nine runs but held firm at one end, allowing the South African to play a quickfire cameo.

Samson completed his fifty in just 26 balls and took another 28 balls to complete another to bring up a majestic unbeaten century, while maintaining a strike rate of over 180. In the final over, Sanju Samson was batting on 85 off 48 balls before smashing three sixes off Krish Bhagat to complete his second century of the season.

When other CSK batters failed to score even 25 runs, with the second-highest score being 22 by Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson stood out with a lone warrior effort. His century knock was so impressive that the MI players shook hands with him as an acknowledgement of his brilliance, as he walked back after a match-defining innings that drew applause from both sets of fans at the Wankhede.

With two centuries for the Chennai Super Kings, Sanju Samson became the first player in IPL history to score two centuries for two different franchises, having earlier achieved the same milestone for the Rajasthan Royals.

‘People Keep on Doubting, Sanju Samson Keeps on Delivering’

Sanju Samson’s century knock against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium has drawn massive praise and admiration on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts hailing it as a “carry-job” masterclass and a “peak Samson” performance that silenced his critics once again.

Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts hailed Samson’s century as a pure ‘entertainment package’, praising his ‘BOS player’ status, smart and evolved batting approach, and calling it a classic ‘carry-job’ century where he single-handedly took CSK to a winning total, while the rest of the batting lineup struggled to make any significant impact.

Sanju Samson struggled in the early stages of the IPL 2026, scoring just 22 runs in the first games before aggregating 271 runs in the next four outings, showcasing a sharp return to form with consistent and impactful batting performances.

Samson is currently the leading run-getter for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2026, with 293 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 58.60 and a strike rate of 178.65 in seven matches.