Sanju Samson is reportedly under the ICC scanner over his ‘religious’ celebration after the match-winning knock against the West Indies. What may concern fans the most is that reports suggest the Indian batsman may be banned from the semi-final.
The action that is under the radar is not the celebration itself. It’s what he did just before that. Soon after hitting the match-winning 4, Sanju Samson took off his helmet and ‘threw’ it to the ground. Then, he dropped to his knees and thanked the Almighty.
Sanju later called it a “very special moment”.
“I am a great believer, and I want to keep it very private. And, it’s a very special moment for me,” he told Parthiv Patel on JioHotstar.
Many social media users called Sanju Samson’s celebration the ‘true’ Kerala story. According to some, the Indian opener thanked the Almighty in a multi-religious manner. First, he opened his arms in an Islamic way, then made a cross in a Christian way and then folded his hands in a Hindu way.
According to some memes, the Indian cricketers turned from Mohammad Sanju to Sanju Samson to Sanju Sharma during his moment of gratitude. The celebration went viral after India’s victory.
At this moment, it is unclear if the ICC is considering any action for Sanju Samson. But, there has been a lot of buzz on social media.
Can Sanju Samson be punished?
Yes, he can if it is considered ‘throwing’ the helmet. According to the ICC Code of Conduct, players must maintain proper behavior on the field. Under Article 2.2, players can be punished for “abuse of cricket equipment”. This includes throwing or hitting items such as helmets, bats or stumps, whether in anger or excitement.
Recently, on 18 February, George Munsey was given 1 demerit point. The Scottish cricketer was punished for throwing his helmet after getting out in a T20 World Cup 2026 match.
Can Sanju Samson be banned?
In most cases, cricketers are not banned for abusing cricket equipment. Under the ICC Code of Conduct, such actions are usually treated as a Level 1 offence. Match referees are usually more lenient when players show emotion in celebration rather than anger or protest.
The maximum punishment at Level 1 is a fine of up to 50% of the match fee and 2 demerit points. A match ban is uncommon at this level.
A ban can occur if the offense is upgraded to Level 2. It may also happen if a player accumulates 4 demerit points within 24 months.
For example, Harmanpreet Kaur was banned for 2 matches. It is because her incident involved both equipment abuse and public dissent against umpires, which made it a Level 2 offence.
India will play England in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final on 5 March. The match will take place in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
ICC rules for religious celebrations
The ICC supports positive celebrations on the field but says players must follow the “Spirit of Cricket”. Celebrations should not cross certain limits.
Any gesture or action that insults or offends someone based on religion is a serious breach of the ICC Anti-Racism Code. The ICC has a zero-tolerance policy towards acts or displays that are provocative or religious in a way that can create controversy.
If a player uses language or gestures that offend or seriously offend someone’s religion, it can be treated as a Level 3 or Level 4 offense. These are serious violations and can lead to heavy fines or even suspension from matches.
