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The swashbuckling opener looked in sublime touch and took his team, Kochi Blue Tigers, close to a mammoth 237-run target. He smashed 121 runs off 51 balls and got out in the penultimate over of the innings when the game turned into an intense mode; however, Muhammad Ashik got the job done for his team with an unbeaten 45 runs off 18 balls. Samson has been picked in India's 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in the UAE, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar has hinted that Shubman Gill will open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma. In such a scenario, Samson may either be asked to sit out or pushed down the order to bat in the middle. However, now he presented a strong case for himself with a blistering century on Sunday at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. It was the first time this season in KCL that Samson opened the innings; in the earlier matches, he decided to bat down the order. The 30-year-old smashed 14 fours and 7 sixes during his magnificent knock, which helped his team register their third win in a row. He reached his half-century in just 16 balls and didn't stop after that, and continued smashing the Aries Kollam Sailors bowlers for fun. The century was a huge morale boost for Samson before the Asia Cup and a fitting response to the chatter around him. Yet, despite his brother at the non-striker's end, the India star kept his celebration ice-cold.