T20 World Cup 2026: Sanju Samson named Player of the Tournament
Samson becomes third Indian cricketer to win prestigious award, joins Bumrah and Kohli
AHMEDABAD: India's right-handed opener Sanju Samson on Sunday was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for playing a pivotal role in India's successful ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
Samson, who missed three out of India's four group-stage fixtures against United States of America (USA), arch-rivals Pakistan and Netherlands, respectively, was slotted back into the defending champions' lineup following their gut-wrenching defeat against South Africa in the Super Eights.
The right-handed opener had a quiet return to India's playing XI as he mustered 24 in their crucial Super Eights match against Zimbabwe, but peaked in their virtual quarter-final against West Indies, scoring an unbeaten 97 in the tense run chase.
Samson carried his form into the high-scoring semi-final against England in Mumbai and eventually the recently concluded summit clash against New Zealand, scoring half-centuries in each of the two high-stakes fixtures and becoming just the third player to achieve the milestone.
His three consecutive half-centuries helped him finish as the third leading run-getter with 321 runs in five innings at a remarkable average of 199.37 and a strike rate of 199.37.
For his consistent performances in the high-stakes fixtures, Samson edged out stiff competition from Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan, South Africa's Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi, England's Will Jacks, New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert and USA's Shadley van Schalkwyk to win the prestigious Player of the Tournament award.
"Feels like a dream. Very happy and grateful. Out of words, out of emotions. To be honest, it started one to two years before. When I was in the 2024 World Cup team where I didn't play, I kept visualising, kept on working, and this was exactly what I wanted to do," Samson said at the post-match presentation.
Consequently, Samson became only the third Indian player to be crowned the Player of the Tournament of a T20 World Cup, joining teammate Jasprit Bumrah and the country's legend Virat Kohli, who has won the prize twice in 2014 and 2016.
The elusive list further features legendary Australia all-rounder Shane Watson, England's Kevin Pietersen and Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan, while Pakistan's Shahid Afridi was the first to clinch the coveted award.
List of T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament
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