New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday felicitated Indian cricketer Sanju Samson at the Cliff House in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala CM honoured the wicket-keeper batter for his instrumental role in India’s success in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026. India defeated New Zealand in the final to win the T20 World Cup 2026 title, their second successive trophy.
The Men in Blue became the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups while also becoming the first side to win the tournament as the host nation. Samson was one of the heroes of India’s victory as he smashed a hat-trick of half-centuries in the virtual quarterfinal against West Indies, the semifinal against England and the final against New Zealand to propel India to glory.
Samson finished the tournament as the highest run-getter for India and won the Player of the Tournament award for his batting heroics. Despite playing only five games in the competition, Samson, who was initially not part of India’s XI, went on to finish with an impressive 321 runs at an exceptional average of over 80 and an impressive strike rate of close to 200.
“I met with the pride of the country, Kerala’s own Sanju Samson, at Cliff House today. It was a pleasure to convey to him the love and happiness of the country. May Sanju Samson be able to move forward with greater strength in the wake of these achievements. Heartfelt wishes,” Kerala CM Vijayan wrote on Instagram while sharing the footage of his meeting with Samson.
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