Sanju Samson smashes blistering century; slaps Gautam Gambhir-Shubman Gill

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson hit a blistering century for Kochi Blue Tigers during the 8th match of the Kerala Cricket League in Thiruvananthapuram on August 24. However, Muhammad Ashik stole the show with a six off the final delivery, helping secure a four-wicket win over the Aries Kollam Sailors.

Kochi Blue Tigers secured a third consecutive victory to move to the top of the KCL 2025 table. Meanwhile, the Aries Kollam Sailors are placed fourth with just one win from three outings. The Sanju Samson-led team will play their next match against Thrissur Titans in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, August 26.

Muhammad Ashik Seals Win with Final-Ball Six in Record Run Chase

Kochi Blue Tigers needed 17 runs off the last over while chasing a target of 237 runs. Muhammad Ashik smashed the first two deliveries for a four and a six, but bowler Sharafuddeen conceded only a single run in the next three balls while also effecting a run-out.

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With Kochi needing six off the last delivery, Ashik held his nerve and hit straight down the ground to seal victory. He finished unbeaten on 45 off 18 balls, with the help of three fours and five sixes. The Blue Tigers completed the highest run chase in the history of the Kerala Cricket League.

The official account of the league took to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the clip of the final-ball six in the run chase.

Watch the video of the same posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) below:

From the jaws of defeat to the roar of victory! 🐯

The Kochi Blue Tigers pull off the highest chase in Federal Bank Kerala Cricket League history, and they seal it with a six off the last ball from Muhammad Ashik! Sanju Samson lit up the night with a blistering 121 off 51💥 pic.twitter.com/NYTskQWKK8

— Kerala Cricket League (@KCL_t20) August 24, 2025

Sanju Samson Instrumental in Kochi Blue Tigers’ Run Chase

Earlier, Sanju Samson scored 121 off just 51 balls, including 14 boundaries and seven sixes. He had a slow start in the tournament but bounced back with a fifty in just 16 balls. Notably, it was the fastest of this edition as Kochi reached 100 runs inside the Powerplay.

The right-handed batter added a crucial 89-run stand with Muhammad Shanu (39). Samson perished on the first ball of the penultimate over when the team was at 206 runs, but his knock kept Kochi firmly in the hunt.

There have been debates around his batting role for India. With Shubman Gill’s return to the format, Samson might be pushed down the order in T20Is. However, his century as an opener has once again strengthened his case at the top ahead of the Asia Cup.

It’s not Easy to lose a Game - Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson thanked the home fans for their strong support after being named Player of the Match. Samson admitted that it was tough to play under pressure in front of them. He added that he is still getting familiar with his younger teammates.

“It’s not easy to lose a game in front of your home crowd. So I thank all the people who turned up in huge numbers,” Samson said.

“To be very honest, I’m not much aware of the boys. But as much as I’m spending time with them, I’m getting very excited. Very exciting talent in the team. It’s a bit shocking to see we have so much talent in Kerala cricket."

"I request that we have to put in some special eyes in the local games going on, especially all the players. In the next one or two years, we should see one more guy playing for the country. And I can see that happening. With this talent, I don’t think that we are much far away.”

Also read: Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood sacked: Pakistan to announce new ODI, Test captains ahead of Asia Cup 2025