Virat Kohli Praises Sanju Samson's Stellar T20 World Cup Performance

Sanju Samson Shines in T20 World Cup 2026

In a recent statement, Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli commended Sanju Samson for his outstanding performances during the T20 World Cup 2026, where he was awarded the 'Player of the Tournament' and broke several records.

After struggling with just 46 runs in five challenging innings against New Zealand and being replaced by Ishan Kishan, Sanju made an incredible comeback that surprised even his most devoted supporters. Following two promising starts against Namibia and Zimbabwe, he truly excelled in the crucial matches.

His remarkable innings included a score of 97* against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal, followed by 89 runs against England and another 89 against New Zealand in the semifinals and finals. Sanju's impressive hitting captivated fans and silenced critics regarding his previous inconsistencies.

Virat took to Instagram to express his admiration, stating, “What a remarkable tournament from the most well-deserved man of the tournament @sanjusamson. You performed when it mattered the most. Really happy for you chetta.”

Throughout the tournament, Samson accumulated 321 runs over five innings, boasting an average of 80.25 and a striking strike rate of 199.37, including 27 fours and 24 sixes, making him the third-highest run-scorer. He surpassed Kohli's previous record of 319 runs from the 2014 T20 World Cup, achieving the highest runs by an Indian in a single T20 World Cup edition. However, Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan outperformed all, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 383 runs.

Samson's exceptional performance also placed him alongside Kohli and Shahid Afridi as one of the few players to score fifties in both the T20 World Cup semifinals and finals. His score surpassed Marlon Samuels' 85* in the 2016 T20 World Cup final and Kane Williamson's 85 in the 2021 final, marking him as the Indian with the highest score in a T20 World Cup knockout match.

In the final match, New Zealand won the toss and opted to field first. However, a resurgent fifty from Abhishek Sharma (52 runs off 21 balls) and a 98-run partnership with Samson made New Zealand regret their decision. Samson later partnered with Ishan Kishan (54 runs off 25 balls) to propel India past the 200-run mark by the 16th over. Shivam Dube's late contributions (26* off 8 balls) helped India reach a total of 255/5, the highest score in T20 World Cup finals.

James Neesham was New Zealand's standout bowler with figures of 3/46.

In response to India's 256, Axar Patel (3/23) and Jasprit Bumrah (4/15) dismantled the Kiwi batting lineup, reducing them to 72/5, despite Tim Seifert's half-century (52 runs off 26 balls). A brief partnership between Daryl Mitchell (17) and captain Mitchell Santner (43 runs off 35 balls) could not save New Zealand, who were ultimately bowled out for just 159 runs.