Sanju Samson has cemented his status as one of India’s biggest big-match performers by becoming just the third player in T20 World Cup history to score a fifty in both the semifinals and final of the same edition.
Sanju Samson’s strong form
Sanju Samson’s semifinals heroics against England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium set the tone. He blasted 89 off 42 balls, including eight fours and seven sixes, powering India to 253/7, the highest total in a T20 World Cup knockout game. His aggressive 26-ball fifty helped India dominate the powerplay and eventually secure a thrilling seven-run win despite England’s Jacob Bethell’s century chase.
Carrying that red-hot form into the final against New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Samson delivered again. He reached his fifty in style, striking at over 164 with four fours and four sixes in a crucial knock that anchored India’s innings during a high-pressure chase for a third T20 World Cup title. However, he got dismissed by James Neesham after scoring 89 off 46 balls.
Sanju Samson joins elite list
The star opener follows in the footsteps of Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi (2009) and India’s Virat Kohli (2014), adding his name to this rare and prestigious list after India’s strong 2026 campaign.
India vs New Zealand: T20 World Cup playing XIs
India Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand Playing XI: Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
