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Sanju Samson has written his name into T20 World Cup folklore with a tournament for the ages, becoming only the second player in history to register three consecutive scores of 80 or more in a single edition of the competition. The Indian star joins Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardene, who achieved the rare feat during the 2010 T20 World Cup.
Samson’s incredible run included 97 in the Super 8 stage, 89 in the semi final, and 89 in the final, performances that powered India deep into the tournament and firmly established him as one of the standout players of the competition.
A selection that proved decisive
India’s decision to bring Samson back into the playing eleven turned out to be one of the defining calls of the tournament.
When Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was earlier asked about Samson’s inclusion in the playing eleven, he responded with a sarcastic laugh and asked whom he should drop to bring him in. The wicketkeeper batter has now answered that question in the best possible way.
In the final, Samson produced a breathtaking 89 from just 46 balls, smashing 5 fours and 8 towering sixes. His fearless hitting set the tone for India’s massive total and broke several long standing tournament records. He had chances to push for a century on more than one occasion, but Samson always chose the team first, continuing to attack instead of slowing down for personal milestones.
Records shattered by Samson
Samson’s sensational knock in the final and his overall tournament performance rewrote the record books.
• Highest score in a T20 World Cup final:
Samson’s 89 surpassed the previous record of 85 held by Marlon Samuels in 2016 and Kane Williamson in 2021.
• Most runs for India in a single T20 World Cup edition:
He finished with 321 runs, breaking Virat Kohli’s iconic 2014 tally of 319 runs.
• Most sixes in a single T20 World Cup edition:
His eight sixes in the final took his tournament total to 24 sixes, the most by any player in a single edition.
• Elite knockout club:
Samson became only the third player in history to score half centuries in both the semi final and the final of the same T20 World Cup
• Highest strike rate for 250 plus runs:
His remarkable strike rate of 199.37 is the highest ever recorded by a batter scoring more than 250 runs in a single T20 World Cup.
Records for India as well
Samson’s explosive batting also helped India create several team milestones in the final.
• Highest opening partnership in a T20 World Cup final:
Samson and Abhishek Sharma put together a stunning 98 run stand, breaking the previous record of 48 set by Pakistan’s Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan in 2009.
• Fastest team hundred in knockout history:
India raced to 100 in just 7.2 overs, the quickest ever in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
• Highest team total in a final:
India piled up 255 for 5, the biggest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.
A tournament to remember
For Samson, the man from God’s own country, this tournament will be remembered as the one where everything clicked. From dominating the Super 8 stage to delivering in the semi final and final, he produced match defining innings when India needed them the most.
