Sanju Samson Named ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Player of Tournament
Sanju Samson has been crowned the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament after carrying India on his back through the knockout rounds. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter scored 321 runs from five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37 — numbers that placed him in a class of his own across the entire competition.
His tournament highlights include a match-winning 97* against the West Indies in the Super 8 and an 89 off 42 in the semi-final against England. Three consecutive knockout half-centuries from the same batter is rare at any World Cup.
“I have been playing T20 cricket for around 300 or 400 matches. I stayed patient and waited for this moment,” Samson told the ICC. “One more match, then I’ll feel very light,” he added. The recognition ends a long wait for one of India’s most naturally gifted batters, who spent years on the fringes of the national setup before finally becoming India’s World Cup match-winner.