India opener Sanju Samson said his knock against England on Thursday was the product of years of quiet work and difficult stretches, adding that the job remained unfinished as India look to secure back-to-back Twenty20 World Cup titles.
Samson's 89 anchored India's total of 253-7 and laid the foundation for a tense seven-run semifinal win at the Wankhede Stadium. England, carried by Jacob Bethell's outstanding hundred, fell just short in one of the closest matches of the tournament.
"I have been trying for a few years to do something like this for my country... a lot of patience, inner work, training and practice," Samson told reporters after India set up a final showdown with New Zealand.
"Definitely I feel grateful, but we have one more step to go. If we do that, then I think all the work, everything was worth it."
Samson admitted the innings was shaped by the momentum he carried from his unbeaten 97 against West Indies in the previous match.
"The last innings definitely played a good role today. I knew I was timing the ball well and taking good decisions. If you're in form, you should definitely contribute again," he said.
Samson had a tough 2025 and then struggled during the five-match T20 international series against New Zealand earlier in the year but he said the period prompted a reset in both technique and mindset.
"I was trying a bit too much in the New Zealand series. I wanted to make an impact and get into the 11 of the World Cup here," he said.
"Even the best in the world actually struggle to score runs in this format. I had to respect the game and come back to my basics."
England captain Harry Brook closed the tournament on a positive note, saying his side could leave the tournament proud despite the narrow loss.
"Disappointed, but extremely proud. Couldn't ask for much more as a captain," Brook said.
"We've had an amazing campaign, and I said the other day that we're never out of games. That was proven again tonight. We were in the game all the way until the last over."
Brook hailed Bethell's 105 off 48 balls, an innings featuring eight fours and seven sixes, that steadied England after early blows and kept their chase alive.
"He's a phenomenal player. In a high-pressure situation against India on their home turf... the way he played was just phenomenal," the 27-year-old Brook said.
"He's been unbelievable. He's going to have a hell of a career with England, and I'm looking forward to hopefully spending a lot of time with him in the future."
Brook also accepted England's missed chances in the field, including dropping Samson on 15 in the third over.
"Catches win matches, don't they? Unfortunately it didn't stay in my hands," he said, adding that execution lapses against India's power-hitters proved costly.
The final will take place on Sunday.