Sanju Samson emerged as a hero in India's T20 World Cup victory, playing a match-winning knock of 89 in the final against New Zealand. After a journey of inconsistency that almost shattered his dream, Samson finished as India's highest run-getter, expressing immense gratitude for achieving his goal.
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson not only fulfilled his dream of playing the T20 World Cup but also emerged as one of the heroes behind the Men in Blue’s title defence success. Samson was one of the star performers in India’s final win over New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8.
Samson played a brilliant knock of 89 off 46 balls, including 8 sixes and 5 fours, at an average of 193.48, helping Team India propel to a commanding total of 255/5, which was successfully defended by the bowlers, who bundled out New Zealand for 159 in 19 overs to clinch a dominant 96-run victory and take home coveted trophy for the second time on the trot.
This was the second successive fifty of the tournament for Sanju Samson, following an unbeaten 97 in the Super 8 clash against the West Indies and an 89 in the semifinal against England, underscoring his match‑winning run en route to India’s title‑clinch.
Related Articles
‘I Had The Dream to Achieve This’
Sanju Samson was hailed as a ‘hero’ by the Indian cricket fraternity as his three crucial knocks in the Super 8s, semifinal, and final not only guided Team India to a title win but also showcased his ability to rise up to the occasion when it mattered the most.
Speaking in a video posted by the Indian Cricket Team on its Instagram handle, Samson expressed his disbelief and gratitude over his over-cherished T20 World Cup dream, crediting the ‘genuine’ prayers and support of fans for giving him the confidence and strength to perform at his best.
“Unbelievable, I think, I said before I knew that I have it in me to do it. I had the dream to achieve this, but I didn’t know it would happen so exactly in this current moment," the 31-year-old Kerala batter.
“So very grateful. I absolutely don’t have words for it, to be very honest. I know, I think genuine prayers and genuine wishes are very powerful. And when it is given by such huge crowd, I think I can’t ask for more.
“I think they definitely genuinely wish and pray for me. I think that is much, much bigger than anything for me in this life. I want to thank every one of you out there who has wished for me, who has prayed for me. Thank you so much, this means the world to me,” Samson added.
Sanju Samson was initially not considered for India’s playing XI as the Team India management backed Ishan Kishan to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma. Abhishek Sharma’s stomach infection paved the way for the Kerala cricketer’s World Cup debut against Namibia, where he scored 22 off 8 balls.
Thereafter, Samson featured in a Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe, where he again provided an explosive start and scored 24 off 15 balls.
‘You Definitely Can Have a Dream’
Sanju Samson was part of the India squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2024, but he didn’t get a single match throughout the tournament. Thereafter, Samson received consistent chances as an opener, scoring three centuries in a calendar year (2025) before being demoted to the middle order to accommodate Shubman Gill as an opener at the Asia Cup 2025.
Due to inconsistent performances, he was dropped from the playing XI during the Australia T20I series before making a comeback in the fifth and final T20I against South Africa, where he played a blazing knock of 37 off 22 balls. Thereafter, Samson was given a nod ahead of Shubman Gill to the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup.
The Kerala cricketer stated that dreams are possible, but the exact path to achieve them is unpredictable.
“You definitely can have a dream. You can definitely think that is what you want to achieve, but you can’t plan the way to reach there. That only one person can do." Samson said.
Sanju Samson has been part of India’s T20I setup since 2015, but he was frequently in and out of the team due to inconsistent performances and stiff competition for the wicketkeeper-batter spot before cementing his place in the squad under the leadership of skipper Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Samson’s Dream Almost Shattered
Sanju Samson’s dream of playing the T20 World Cup was almost shattered following his disastrous outing in the T20I series against New Zealand, where he scored just 46 at an average of 9.2 in five matches. However, the Kerala batter’s two brief but impactful knocks against Namibia and Zimbabwe gave him a lifeline, allowing him to regain confidence and showcase his true potential.
The 31-year-old admitted that his dream of playing the World Cup was broken after a poor T20I series against New Zealand, but through perseverance and faith, he ultimately achieved success and fulfillment.
“I actually lost it. I think I left it a bit alone after the New Zealand series. I thought my dream is broken,” Samson added.
“I actually wanted to do this, wanted to be the man for India in this World Cup, but after the New Zealand series, I thought that I didn’t utilize my opportunity and the dream is broken. But I think the world and God’s grace, things turned around, and I’m very happy that what has happened here," he concluded.
Sanju Samson finished the T20 World Cup 2026 as the highest run-getter for Team India, amassing 321 runs, including 3 fifties, at an average of 80.25 and an impressive strike rate of 199.37. He overtook Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.
Also Read: ICC T20I Rankings: Abhishek Sharma retains top spot after India's win
