After India’s T20 WC 2026 semifinal win over England, Sanju Samson said his Player of the Match award should have gone to Jasprit Bumrah, calling him a once-in-a-generational bowler for his crucial death overs. This gesture won praise from fans.
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has hailed his teammate and lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah following the Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal win over England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5.
The defending champions sealed their place in the final against New Zealand with a thrilling seven-run win over England. After posting a solid total of 253/7, thanks to Sanju Samson’s 89-run knock and vital contributions from Shivam Dube (43), Ishan Kishan (34), Hardik Pandya (27), and Tilak Varma (21), Team India managed to restrict England to 246/7 in 20 overs, despite Jacob Bethell’s century.
Bethell’s 105-run knock off just 48 balls kept England in the hunt and nearly turned the game in their favour, but India’s bowlers held their nerve in the crucial death overs. Hardik Pandya (2/38) picked up two wickets. At the same time, Jasprit Bumrah (1/33), Axar Patel (1/35), and Varun Chakravarthy (1/64) hipped in with a wicket each to help India seal a thrilling seven-run victory over England.
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Samson’s Praise for Bumrah
Sanju Samson was the star performer for Team India in the semifinal against England, as his scintillating knock of 89 off 42 balls helped the hosts propel to a commanding total on the board. His batting brilliance adjudged him Player of the Match award for the second consecutive time in the tournament, having earlier won for his unbeaten 97-run knock in India’s final Super 8 fixture against the West Indies.
However, the Kerala cricketer showed his humility after the match as he reserved special praise for India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, stating that the Player of the Match award should actually have gone to the star pacer, whom he described as a “once-in-a-generational bowler” for the impact he brings to the team in crucial moments.
“All credit goes to Jasprit Bumrah, I think the world-class bowler, a once-in-a-generation bowler. I think that's what he delivered today,” Samson said at the post-match presentation.
“This [award] should go to him, actually. So, if he didn't bowl that way in the death overs, I would not be standing here,” he added.
Sanju Samson’s praise for Jasprit Bumrah was a reference to the lead pacer’s two game-changing spells, including a crucial 18th over where he conceded just six runs to halt England’s momentum and push the required run rate beyond reach, which eventually sealed India’s victory in the semifinal.
Fans Laud Samson’s Humility
Sanju Samson’s praise for Jasprit Bumrah after winning the Player of the Match award following India’s semifinal victory over England quickly went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans lauding the wicketkeeper-batter’s humility and team-first attitude.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts hailed Samson’s humility and sportsmanship, lauding him for giving credit to Jasprit Bumrah despite winning the Player of the Match award, recognizing the effort of India’s lead pacer in the Men in Blue’s win over England in the thrilling semifinal clash.
Others highlighted the team spirit within the Indian camp, with calling Bumrah a ‘generational bowler’ while applauding Samson for acknowledging the pacer’s match-defining contribution despite his own match-winning knock.
With two brilliant back-to-back performances, Sanju Samson has seemingly retained his place in India’s playing XI in a blockbuster T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Sanju Samson is now the third-leading run-getter for Team India with 232 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 77.33 and an astonishing strike rate of 201.73 in four matches. Samson’s strike rate is the second-highest with a minimum of 100 runs in the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup.
