Sanju Samson with wife Charulatha Remesh

NEW DELHI: A touching off-field moment involving Sanju Samson’s wife Charulatha Remesh has captured the internet’s attention days after India’s triumph at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!A video showing Charulatha carefully wrapping Samson’s Player of the Tournament trophy with a T-shirt to protect it from scratches has gone viral on social media, winning the hearts of fans across platforms.The clip, recorded shortly after the award ceremony, shows Charulatha holding the prestigious trophy and admiring it closely. Standing beside her was Devisha Shetty, the wife of India captain Suryakumar Yadav. After exchanging a few words, Charulatha quickly wrapped the trophy in a T-shirt, seemingly to ensure it remained safe from damage while being carried around amid the celebrations.

The small but thoughtful gesture resonated deeply with fans.The viral video surfaced soon after Samson shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife on Instagram following India’s historic title win. Thanking Charulatha for her unwavering support, the star batter opened up about how she stood by him through every phase of his career.“Right from the day I met you till this day of my life… Thank you so very much for being by my side, loving me for who I am, and being absolutely true and honest to me, no matter what I was to the outside world. You have seen my best side and my worst side, yet you stood strong by me,” Samson wrote.“Thank you for understanding how important cricket is in my life and making it just as important in yours,” he added.“And you have wished and dreamed with the same passion and intensity as I did for this moment. Thank you so very much, my dear Pondattiiiiii.”The emotional tribute came after a remarkable turnaround tournament for Samson. Initially relegated to the bench and playing just one league match against Namibia in New Delhi, the wicketkeeper-batter was drafted back into the XI during the Super Eights clash against Zimbabwe.From there, Samson scripted one of the tournament’s most dramatic comebacks. An unbeaten 97 against West Indies in Kolkata set the tone before he delivered back-to-back 89s in the semi-final against England and the final against New Zealand.By the end of the tournament, Samson had amassed 321 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 199, earning the Player of the Tournament award and playing a central role in India lifting their third T20 World Cup title.

NEW DELHI: When Sanju Samson walked out to open midway through the tournament, few could have predicted that he would end up scripting one of the most remarkable turnarounds in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history. But for India spin legend Anil Kumble, Samson’s performances in the knockout stages reflected a rare blend of two of India’s greatest modern batters — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!After spending the first half of the tournament on the bench, Samson was drafted into the XI as an opener ahead of the decisive Super 8 clash against the West Indies. The Kerala batter responded with an unbeaten 97 in what was effectively a virtual knockout in Kolkata, before producing back-to-back 89s in the semi-final and the final to power India’s title-winning run.

The explosive streak saw Samson break several records, including the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final. He also joined Kohli as the only Indians to score fifties in both the semi-final and final of the same World Cup edition, while finishing with a staggering 321 runs in just five innings — the most by an Indian in a single edition of the tournament.For Kumble, the numbers told only part of the story.“If you look at the previous World Cup in 2024, it had Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both are great players, very difficult to replace them,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo. “I think Samson is a combination of Kohli and Rohit, in a sense.”ALSO READ: ‘Stop celebrating milestones’: Gambhir’s strong message after India’s T20 WC triumphKumble explained that Samson displayed Kohli’s calculated control when the situation demanded patience, while also unleashing Rohit-like aggression when the momentum needed to shift.“When it required a little bit of Kohli, where you just plan and ensure that you don’t lose wickets,” he said. “And then whenever you need to accelerate in the powerplay, you want to take on the bowlers — like Rohit.”Even while anchoring the innings, Samson did not compromise on his natural flair. As India became the first team to smash 100 sixes in a single World Cup edition, Samson accounted for 24 of them — the most by any batter in the tournament.

India’s Sanju Samson (ANI Photo)

Sanju Samson capped off a remarkable campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 by winning the Player of the Tournament award after playing a decisive role in India national cricket team’s title triumph.Samson finished the tournament with 321 runs, an extraordinary achievement considering he played only five matches in the competition. The 31 year old was not part of India’s playing eleven at the start of the tournament and was drafted into the side after India’s loss to South Africa national cricket team. From that moment, the wicketkeeper batter produced a string of match winning performances.

His campaign was highlighted by three consecutive half centuries at the most crucial stages of the tournament. Samson first delivered a brilliant unbeaten 97 against the West Indies cricket team in a virtual quarter final, guiding India to victory in a tense chase. He followed it up with 89 in the semi final against England national cricket team and then struck another 89 in the final against New Zealand national cricket team.The Indian batter also rewrote several records during the tournament. Samson smashed 24 sixes, the most by any player in a single T20 World Cup edition. His 89 in the final is now the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final, surpassing the previous best of 85 not out by Marlon Samuels in 2016 and 85 by Kane Williamson in 2021.Samson’s tally of 321 runs is also the highest by an Indian batter in a single T20 World Cup, overtaking Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs set during the 2014 tournament.His consistency also placed him in an elite group of players who have scored half centuries in both the semi final and the final of a T20 World Cup. Before Samson, only Shahid Afridi in 2009 and Virat Kohli in 2014 had achieved that feat.Speaking after receiving the award, Samson reflected on the journey that led to the defining tournament of his career.“Feels like a dream. Very happy and grateful. Out of words, out of emotions. [On his three fifties, thought process] 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. 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 sir. I reached out to him and had big big conversations with him. Getting a guidance from someone like him, what more can you ask for? I am very grateful for everyone who supported me. [What more does he want to achieve?] 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.”

A day before the T20 World Cup final, the usual tension and mind games between teams have already started. India and New Zealand are set to clash for the title, and both captains had a few things to say during their pre-match press conferences.India head into the final with strong momentum after smashing 253/7 against England in the semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium. But New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner believes the key for his team is to stop India from posting another huge total.

Speaking ahead of the match, he said, “And at the end of the day, if it’s going to be flat like it was the other night, trying to restrict India to 220 instead of 250 might give us a good chance.”When India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked about Santner’s comment, he responded with a smile and a bit of banter. “Jhooth bol raha hai (he’s lying). We will try to bat well. If we score 225 or 250, it will be good. But sometimes the wicket is different, and we have to play differently. We don’t predict from the dressing room that we have to score so much. Whatever the pitch demands, we have to play that way,” he said.Santner also spoke about the pressure India might feel while playing a final at home in front of a packed crowd. “That’s the goal – to silence the crowd – but there are a lot of challenges in cricket, and they are variable. I think there is a lot of pressure on India to win at home,” he said. At the same time, the Kiwi captain sounded confident about his team. “I am pretty excited. We have played here before. There are no secrets to it. The boys are buzzing for tomorrow. It is a one-game shootout. The boys are excited.”Santner’s remark reminded many of Pat Cummins’ famous comment before the 2023 ODI World Cup final about silencing the crowd. Suryakumar couldn’t resist poking fun at that as well, saying: “Sab hi same line chipka rahe hai. Kuch toh naya bolo (Everyone is now saying the same thing. Come up with something new).”

India’s Sanju Samson with head coach Gautam Gambhir (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has praised India head coach Gautam Gambhir for backing Sanju Samson, whose red-hot form with the bat has become one of the biggest talking points of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.Samson was drafted back into the Indian playing XI after the team lost to South Africa, in what was effectively a knockout clash against the West Indies cricket team. The wicketkeeper-batter seized the opportunity in style, smashing a superb 97 during a tense chase to guide India to victory. He carried that momentum into the semi-final, producing a blistering 89 off just 42 balls as India defeated the England cricket team to book a place in the final against the New Zealand national cricket team.

Speaking on the ‘Game On Hai’ show on PTV Sports, Akhtar explained that Samson’s return to the side was not a straightforward call. According to the former pacer, Gambhir had to strongly advocate for the batter’s inclusion within the team management setup.“Samson has been in the Indian cricket circuit since 2014. Back in the days when I was working in India, around 2015, there was a lot of hype surrounding him. He had to wait for a long time to get regular chances as India had wicketkeepers like MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik and others. Even now, Gambhir has fought with everyone to get him into the team. Basically, his selection has been done forcefully and after a lot scrutiny. He didn’t feature in the tournament initially,” said Akhtar in a video shared by Tapmad.Samson’s numbers in the tournament underline his remarkable run of form. In four matches so far, he has accumulated 232 runs at an impressive average of 77.33 and a strike rate of 201.73, including two half-centuries. His highest score remains the unbeaten 97 against West Indies in the virtual quarter-final in Kolkata.The 31-year-old also etched his name alongside Virat Kohli after his semi-final heroics. Samson’s 89 against England equalled Kohli’s record for the highest score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup knockout match. Kohli had produced an identical 89 not out off 47 balls against the West Indies during the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2016 at the same venue.Samson has also dominated the six-hitting charts in this edition of the tournament. With 16 maximums to his name, he has already surpassed the previous Indian record of 15 sixes in a single T20 World Cup campaign, which was set by Rohit Sharma in the 2024 edition.

Rohit Sharma and Brendon McCullum (Screengrab)

Former India captain Rohit Sharma grabbed plenty of attention at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night as India national cricket team defeated England cricket team to secure a place in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.Rohit, who captained India to the T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies two years ago, was present at the venue as a special guest. Before the semi-final began, he was involved in the pre-match ceremony, presenting the silverware and handing over the match ball. However, it was his lively interactions with players and staff from both camps that became a talking point even before the contest got underway.The former skipper first spent time with members of the Indian side, catching up with Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj and India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel. After that, he walked across to the England dugout, where he met former captain Eoin Morgan and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Morgan and McCullum were both stunned by Rohit’s noticeable physical transformation. The former India captain has reportedly shed close to 10 kilograms as part of his fitness drive, and the change was clearly visible during his appearance at the ground.“In the shape of your life. What’s going on?” Morgan asked Rohit.“Just chilling,” Rohit replied.McCullum, meanwhile, had a humorous reaction when he saw the former opener. “Where’s the rest of you?” he remarked. Rohit responded with a smile, saying, “It’s all gone”.Rohit also shared a brief exchange with Suryakumar Yadav that seemed to lift the batter’s confidence ahead of the high-pressure clash. When Surya asked, “Do you think we’ll be able to pull it off?”, Rohit responded positively: “Yeah, obviously! We played so well in the last match too.” During another conversation, Rohit reassured bowling coach Morne Morkel about the conditions, telling him not to worry as the wind would stay consistent throughout the game.The semi-final marked the third consecutive T20 World Cup knockout meeting between India and England. England had dominated the 2022 clash with a 10-wicket victory before India returned the favour two years later.Thursday’s contest once again produced tense moments, especially when Jacob Bethell threatened to take the game away from India with a powerful innings. However, the match ultimately turned in India’s favour thanks to a superb finish from Jasprit Bumrah, whose final two overs conceded just 14’Where’s the Rest of You?’: Brendon McCullum runs.

Axar Patel dives to take the catch of England’s captain Harry Brook. (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India vice-captain Axar Patel produced two extraordinary moments in the field that turned the tide in India’s thrilling semifinal victory over England at the Wankhede Stadium, and the all-rounder later revealed which of the two catches he believes was the tougher effort.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India edged England by seven runs in a high-scoring contest at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semifinal in Mumbai, a match that saw a staggering 499 runs scored across both innings. While the batters dominated the contest, Axar’s athletic brilliance in the field proved just as decisive.

The first moment of magic came early in England’s chase when the dangerous Harry Brook looked set to launch an assault. Off a slower delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, Brook mistimed a shot that seemed destined to fall safely. But Axar sprinted nearly 24 metres backward from cover, tracking the ball over his shoulder before completing a sensational diving catch.The Wankhede crowd erupted as the early breakthrough halted England’s aggressive start.Watch Catch No. 1:Axar’s second act of brilliance arrived in the 14th over, when England’s counterattack threatened to tilt the match. With Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks building a dangerous partnership, Jacks sliced a wide full toss from Arshdeep Singh toward deep point. Axar raced to his left, grabbed the ball just before crossing the boundary rope, and cleverly relayed it to Shivam Dube to complete a stunning team effort.That dismissal broke the 77-run stand and pulled India back into the contest.Watch Catch No.2:Asked to choose between the two fielding gems, Axar admitted the Jacks catch was more crucial in terms of match situation but rated the Brook catch as the tougher one.“When I took the first catch of Harry Brook, it was a very good catch for me, it was tough,” Axar said with a smile. “But if you look at the situation and the way England were batting, the catch of Will Jacks was very important to break the partnership.”“If you ask me fielding-wise, Harry Brook’s catch was tougher. And yeah, luckily today, I thought the ball was chasing me,” he joked.India eventually held their nerve despite Bethell’s brilliant century, setting up a summit clash with New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

England captain Harry Brook speaks with Sam Curran and Jos Buttler. (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: England captain Harry Brook admitted that costly fielding lapses — including a dropped catch of Sanju Samson — played a decisive role in his side’s defeat to India in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking during the post-match presentation, Brook conceded that England misread the conditions and failed to execute their plans, particularly in the field, allowing India to post a daunting total.

“We thought there might have been hold, spin in the first innings, slid onto the bat nicely, and India batted well. I’ll hold my hands up and admit I made a big mistake dropping Samson. We weren’t good enough in the field. We misexecuted, and can’t afford to do that against India,” Brook said.The turning point came when Brook dropped Samson while the Indian batter was on just 15. The chance, off the bowling of Jofra Archer, proved extremely costly as Samson went on to anchor India’s innings with a commanding knock.Samson’s blistering 89 off 42 balls powered India to a formidable 253/7, a total that eventually proved just out of England’s reach.

“Yeah, catches win matches, don’t they? Unfortunately, it didn’t stay in my hands and yeah, it’s just one of those things. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch it and he played a very, very good innings as well and arguably won them the game,” Brook said.The England skipper admitted that the missed opportunity stayed on his mind throughout the chase.“Obviously, it’s in the back of your mind as the game goes on. I kept on looking at the scoreboard and he was piling the runs on. I was like, ‘I’m going to have to get an 80 or 90 tonight.’ Not ideal, but it’s happened now,” he added.Despite the defeat, Brook found positives in England’s spirited chase, particularly praising young batter Jacob Bethell for his fearless century.Bethell smashed 105 off just 48 balls, while Will Jacks contributed 35 during a counter-attacking partnership that briefly revived England’s hopes.“Bethell was absolutely unbelievable, he’ll earn some serious money. To see him taking it from ball one showed the world what he can do,” Brook said.England eventually finished on 246/7, falling agonisingly short despite Bethell’s heroics and a late blitz from Archer. Brook, however, insisted his side could still take pride in their campaign.“We had a good tournament; we should be extremely proud of how we played. We stuck to it the whole game; unfortunately, we were on the wrong side,” he said.

Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav (Screengrab)

India faced England in the T20 World Cup semi-final at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, with an interesting moment before the toss as Rohit Sharma, India’s T20 World Cup 2024-winning captain, was seen chatting with current skipper Suryakumar Yadav. The conversation caught the attention of fans and cameras just before the crucial match began.At the toss, England captain Harry Brook won and chose to bowl first. India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav said his team would have preferred to bat as well, believing the pitch looked good and conditions were suitable for batting.“We were looking to bat first. Semifinal, big game, and there’s wind around too. Don’t think there will be much dew. Looks a good one (the pitch). The best one. Credit to all the curators and groundsmen. Same team,” Surya said at the toss.Watch Rohit Sharma attending IND vs ENG T20 World Cup semi-final:Brook explained England’s decision and admitted India had more experience at the venue.“We’re going to have a bowl. Looks like a good wicket, hopefully we can get off to a good start with the ball. They’ve obviously got a lot more experience on this ground than us. T20 cricket is such a fickle game, you never know what’s going to happen. Hopefully we can keep them quiet (the crowd). Overton comes in for Rehan.”Looking at their journey to the semi-finals, India had a mixed campaign. They started with a narrow win over USA, followed by victories against other teams in the group stage. However, they suffered a heavy loss to South Africa in the Super-8 round before bouncing back with important wins against Zimbabwe and West Indies to secure a place in the last four.England’s path was also uneven at first. They scraped past Nepal, lost to West Indies, and struggled in wins over Scotland and Italy. But their form improved in the Super-8 stage with strong victories against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand, which helped them become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.At Wankhede, England had played two earlier matches with a 1–1 record, while India had won their only game at the venue against USA by 29 runs. Historically, the two sides are evenly matched at this ground, with England winning in 2012 and India returning the favour in 2025.