Friendly faint

Sir — A goalkeeper in need is a friend in deed. At a recent match, the veteran Portugal and Nantes F.C. goalkeeper, Anthony Lopes, collapsed suddenly. However, Lopes was not really sick. His theatrical distraction was meant to allow his Muslim teammates who were his fasting for Ramazan to have some water and dates on the sidelines. Such an informal solutions became necessary as France’s Ligue 1 does not permit match stoppages for religious observances. While Lopes’s display of brotherhood shows team spirit, official pauses should be included in the rules of the game as amateur dramatics cannot be a substitute for genuine support from football federations. An elite competition like the Premier League already has this provision; others should follow suit.

Sayan Pal,
Hooghly

Stellar show

Sir — Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in the Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be remembered for the timing of it as much as the strokeplay itself (“Samson spearheads India’s march to semis”, Mar 2). India needed a win to stay alive and seal a semi-final place. Samson delivered under pressure, playing through the innings with a mix of control, acceleration and composure that stood
out and took India to the semi-finals. It was a glorious win.

N.R. Ramachandran,
Chennai

Sir — Sanju Samson’s place in the Indian cricket team was uncertain before the T20 World Cup. He was drafted into the playing XI largely to reduce the number of left-handed batsmen in the side. His innings against the West Indies in Calcutta was nothing short of a redemption arc. Although he has had a decade-long T20 international career, he had been unable to utilise his opportunities to the fullest before this.

Bal Govind,
Noida

Sir — In the high-pressure encounter against the West Indies in Calcutta, Sanju Samson not only scored runs but also shaped the outcome of the match with composure and conviction. Every stroke reflected confidence, and every decision revealed maturity. His 97-run knock was a statement of resilience and self-belief.

A.P. Thiruvadi,
Chennai

Sir — The key aspect of Sanju Samson’s time on the pitch was the manner in which he paced India’s chase, hitting boundaries regularly through proper cricketing shots without indulging in any mindless slogging. Samson might have fallen short of a century, but personal milestones hardly mattered for a team in a do-or-die game. India’s hopes of defending the T20 World Cup title are still alive.

Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai

Sir — As averred by the former Indian cricketer and coach, Ravi Shastri, Sanju Samson played a classy knock at the Eden Gardens. Such acknowledgement from someone like Shastri is rare. When the team lost two early wickets, Samson batted sensibly, rotating the strike and allowing his partners to accelerate.

N. Mahadevan,
Chennai

Sir — Sanju Samson has undoubtedly spent more time on the bench than he would have liked during his decade-long T20 international career. At the Eden Gardens, when the opportunity came his way, he seized it. The fact that India’s chase of 196 runs appeared somewhat turbulent was largely because Samson was waging a lone battle for most of the innings.

Khokan Das,
Calcutta

Sir — Sanju Samson’s recent performance was more than a match-winning knock; it was a statement on the cost of prolonged neglect and the dangers of rediscovering a player only when a tournament demands it. India
nearly paid a steep price by marginalising him through the early rounds. Only the pressure of a knockout fixture forced the selectors to recall a batsman whose hunger for runs translates into tactical clarity under fire. With the semi-final against England beckoning, India must resist such complacency.

K. Chidanand Kumar,
Bengaluru

Sir — Chasing runs under pressure, India accomplished the formidable task of reaching the target in 19.2 overs, securing victory with five wickets in hand. Alongside Sanju Samson, Indian bowlers also deserve praise for their disciplined efforts in containing a powerful opposition. This victory was not just a numerical achievement but a triumph of temperament and teamwork, affirming India’s position in the global cricketing arena.

Susanta Roy Chowdhury,
Calcutta

Sir — The Indian cricket team needs to tighten its bowling and fielding in today’s semi-final clash against England. That will bring India closer to lifting the T20 World Cup this year too.

S. Sankaranarayanan,
Chennai

Sir — Sanju Samson delivered one of the most memorable and defining knocks of his career in the high-stakes Super Eight match at the Eden Gardens against the West Indies. His unbeaten 97 is the highest individual score by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup chase, surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous best of an unbeaten 82. The innings was widely described as calculated, avoiding low-percentage shots while steadily dominating bowlers.

Rupak G. Duarah,
Guwahati

Lifesaver

Sir — Timely immunisation, beginning around nine years, combined with regular cervical screening can significantly reduce the burden of cervical cancer. Scientific clarity already exists; what is needed now is administrative consistency and accountability in this regard.

Aloke Kumar Mookherjee,
North 24 Parganas