Sanju Samson added another landmark to his glittering career by crossing the 9,000-run milestone in T20 cricket during the third T20I between India and Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

The moment arrived in the fourth over, bowled by Mohammad Nabi. Samson backed away and drilled a fullish ball towards mid-off. Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran dived to his right and could not hold on. The single took Samson to 9,000 T20 runs, solidifying his stature as one of India's most destructive top-order match-winners.

With this achievement, the 31-year-old Samson became only the fifth Indian batter in history to breach the 9,000-run barrier in the shortest format, joining a legendary list:

Virat Kohli

Rohit Sharma

Shikhar Dhawan

Suryakumar Yadav

Sanju Samson

Globally, Samson is the 34th cricketer to reach this landmark, a feat built across a decade-plus journey spanning international cricket, Indian Premier League (IPL) stints, and domestic cricket for Kerala.

Aggression Meets Consistency

Samson's path to the milestone has been powered by a deliberate transformation in role and mindset. Long celebrated for his effortless strokeplay, the CSK star has paired his trademark intent with sustained ruthlessness at the crease. His consecutive fifties showcased the full range of his modern T20 repertoire: exploiting powerplay restrictions with lofted drives, dismantling spin through the middle overs, and sustaining a strike rate well above par without sacrificing shape or balance.

Reaching 9,000 runs highlights not just Samson's longevity, but his enduring value as a modern T20 anchor and aggressor rolled into one. For both franchise and country, Samson continues to prove that timing, power, and clarity of role remain unbeatable assets in modern cricket.

IND vs AFG 3rd T20I Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Darwish Rasooli, Noor Rahman, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Fazalhaq Farooqi

India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, and Jasprit Bumrah