‘Player of the Tournament’ Sanju Samson credits SPECIAL help from Sachin Tendulkar, says ‘Sir was in…’

Sanju Samson won the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award after India won the T20 World Cup 2026 title with a 96-run win over New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Final: Sanju Samson had a remarkable second-coming in the T20 World Cup 2026-winning campaign for Team India. The new Chennai Super Kings recruit was not even part of the initial playing 11 when the tournament got underway last month but had a remarkable run from the Super 8 stages onwards to finish as India’s leading run-scorer with 321 runs in just 5 matches with 3 fifties and a remarkable strike-rate of 199.37.

Samson finished the tournament as the leading six-hitter with 26 maximums to his name, while New Zealand’s Finn Allen was in 2nd place with 20 although the Kerala wicketkeeper player turned out in 4 matches less than him. He also ultimately won the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award with scores of 97 not out, 89 and 89 in the last three matches for Team India in the T20 World Cup 2026. India hammered New Zealand by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 to win the title for a record third time.

The 31-year-old credited Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar for his remarkable turnaround in form and fortune. “A lot of former players have reached out to me and tried to help me out. For the last couple of months, I have been in constant contact with Sachin (Tendulkar) sir. I reached out to him and had big conversations with him. Getting guidance from someone like him, what more can you ask for? I am very grateful for everyone who supported me,” Sanju Samson said at the post-match presentation after winning the T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad yesterday.

Sanju Samson:
I reached out to Sachin Tendulkar when I wasn’t in the XI. He constantly guided me and helped me out. Even yesterday, he called and checked on me. I’m really grateful for that.”pic.twitter.com/ZjP7jeePW9
— Khan (@ccricket713) March 8, 2026

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Samson also became just the third batter ever to score fifties in T20 World Cup semifinal as well as the final after former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and ex-India skipper Virat Kohli. “To be honest, it started one-two years before. When I was in the 2024 World Cup team where I didn’t play, I kept visualising, kept on working and this was exactly what I wanted to do. After the NZ series I was broken, my dreams were completely shattered. And I was thinking what can I do. But God had different plans. And I was rewarded for being brave enough to dream,” Samson said about scoring three back-to-back fifties in the T20 World Cup 2026.

The Kerala wicketkeeper was traded from Rajasthan Royals to MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings for Rs 18 crore ahead of the IPL 2026 season. “It feels like a dream. I am very happy and grateful. Out of words, out of emotions,” Samson said.

“This itself is very big for me, I want to enjoy it right now and then after a few day will figure out what more to do,” Samson said about turning out for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 at the end of this month.

The IPL 2026 is set to get underway on March 28. Samson will be hoping to carry on his golden form into the Indian Premier League as he starts a new chapter in his life.

For all latest updates of T20 World Cup 2026 you can visit: https://www.india.com/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026/