IND vs ZIM 2022: "Man has the streets with him" - Fans erupt as Sanju Samson wins maiden Man of the Match award for India

Sanju Samson once again made the most of his opportunity as his unbeaten 43*(39) helped Team India beat Zimbabwe by five wickets on Saturday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match ODI series.

The 27-year-old walked out to bat in a tricky situation. But he was both dominant and calculative in his approach, scoring three boundaries and four sixes during his match-winning knock. Samson's efforts also helped him win his maiden Man of the Match award in international cricket.

Fans on Twitter hailed Sanju Samson for finally being able to string together some consistent performances for Team India. Here are some of the reactions:

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Sanju Samson's effortless sixes were a joy to watch

India needed just 162 runs to win the second ODI, but didn't get off to the best of starts as captain KL Rahul departed for just a solitary run. Shubman Gill and Shikhar Dhawan did play some delightful strokes, but neither could score big and that left the Men in Blue in a spot of bother at 97/4.

While the hosts might have sniffed a batting collapse, Samson maintained a fantastic tempo to India's chase as soon as he was at the crease. The stylish right-hander didn't let any of the bowlers settle in and got able support from Deepak Hooda at the other end.

Their partnership of 56 runs for the fifth wicket sealed the game in India's favor. Samson did the honors by smashing the winning six as India wrapped up another series win. With this, his ODI average has reached 57.5, which speaks volumes of the consistency that he has shown in limited gametime.

While he generally bats at the top, Samson seems to be relishing this role in the lower-order for the Men in Blue and could open up a potential challenge for a spot in the 2023 World Cup squad.