India’s players celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Virat Kohli hailed India national cricket team after their dominant triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, praising the side’s fearless cricket and resilience throughout the tournament.Kohli took to social media after the title clash to congratulate the team following their emphatic 96 run victory over New Zealand national cricket team in the summit clash at Narendra Modi Stadium.

Virat Kohli post

“Champions Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat. Jai Hind,” Kohli wrote.India produced a batting spectacle to overwhelm New Zealand and successfully defend their T20 World Cup crown. The defending champions piled up a massive 255 for five after being invited to bat, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.Sanju Samson led the charge with a blistering 89, while Abhishek Sharma smashed 52 and Ishan Kishan struck a rapid 54 as India’s top order unleashed a relentless six hitting spree. Samson and Abhishek set the tone early with a breathtaking 98 run opening partnership that came in just 7.1 overs.India crossed the 200 run mark in only 15 overs as the Kiwi attack struggled to contain the onslaught. New Zealand briefly pulled things back when James Neesham dismissed Samson, Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav in the same over.However, Shivam Dube provided a strong finish with an unbeaten 26, smashing 24 runs in the final over to push India to the record total.Chasing 256, New Zealand faltered under the scoreboard pressure. Their hopes faded quickly after early wickets of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips.Jasprit Bumrah led India’s bowling effort with a brilliant spell of 4 for 15, while Axar Patel picked up three wickets to dismantle the Kiwi batting line up.Though Tim Seifert fought with a 26 ball 52, New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19 overs as India sealed a memorable victory and etched their name in history by becoming the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title.

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.”

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.

Team India (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: 40 overs, 499 runs, 34 sixes, a last-over finish and the entire Wankhede Stadium on its feet singing “Maa Tujhe Salaam” in unison. One could not have asked for a more entertaining game of T20 cricket as India held their nerves to beat England by just seven runs and set a date with New Zealand in the summit clash of the 2026 T20 World Cup.The hosts had long yearned for a perfect game in the tournament. While this win too was far from it, it was enough for India to reach their fourth straight white-ball final. The bowlers had the cushion of runs and even when they leaked plenty, their early intent to look for wickets, something they could not do against the West Indies in Kolkata, was evident.Varun Chakravarthy was creamed for three sixes by Jacob Bethell but he responded by taking Jos Buttler’s wicket. Axar Patel was dispatched for back-to-back sixes by Tom Banton but the wily customer had the last laugh, taking the right-hander’s wicket off the third delivery. Before the emphatic response by the two spinners, India broke England’s back during the powerplay of the huge chase by picking three wickets: Phil Salt, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler.

Hardik Pandya struck off the first delivery of his spell and Jasprit Bumrah did the same. The two demonstrated their experience. The former achieved good movement in his first over while Bumrah stunned Brook with a slower ball, and then Axar took a blinder to dismiss the England skipper. When it looked like India were firmly in command, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, England’s best cricketer in this tournament, combined to put India under pressure. But even as England got close, it was wickets that kept India in control. Another one came just when they badly needed it and it again took a spectacular effort from Axar and Shivam Dube.Arshdeep was reintroduced to break the momentum after the spinners lacked control and the left-armer bowled three wides on the trot. His last legal delivery was set to go for at least a boundary before Axar pulled off another stunning effort, with Shivam Dube completing the relay catch to get the Wankhede roaring again.

Bethell special

The pitch was a paradise for batting and while every bowler struggled to contain the batters, Varun’s meek surrender raised significant concerns. Throughout his four-over spell, the mystery spinner lacked control and penetration, consistently erring with shorter lengths. The true bounce allowed batters to comfortably sit back on the back foot and muscle deliveries into the stands without course correction. He leaked 64 runs from four overs, his most expensive outing in the format and the second most expensive in the tournament’s history.

Jacob Bethell of England celebrates reaching his century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

With Bethell keeping England hanging by a thread, the required run rate boiled down to 61 from the last four overs. With two southpaws in the middle, India made the bold call to bowl Arshdeep early. While he kept things quiet initially, he conceded a six and a boundary off the last two deliveries, resulting in 45 runs needed from the last three overs.Arshdeep was reintroduced to break some momentum after spinners lacked control and after the left-armer bowled three wides on the trot, his last legal delivery was set to go for at least a boundary before Axar pulled off another stunning catch, with a neat assist from Shivam Dube, to get the Wankhede roaring again. The pitch was a dream to bat on and while every bowler struggled to contain the batters, Varun’s meek surrender raises significant concerns.Throughout his four-over spell, the mystery spinner lacked control and penetration, consistently erring with shorter lengths. The true bounce allowed batters to comfortably sit back on the back-foot and muscle deliveries into the stands, without course correction. He leaked 64 runs from four overs – his most expensive outing in the format and the second most in the tournament’s history. With Bethell keeping England hanging by a thread, the required run rate boiled down to 61 from last four overs. With two left-handers in the middle, India made the bold call to bowl Arshdeep early. While he kept things quiet initially, he conceded a six and a boundary off the last two deliveries, resulting in 45 runs from the last three overs.

Magical Bumrah

Then came the over that could well have decided which way the match was headed as Surya threw his last roll of the dice and handed Bumrah the ball to bowl the 18th over. And he delivered.

Jasprit Bumrah of India celebrates the run out of Jacob Bethell of England during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

Six deliveries around the toes resulted in only six runs, making the equation 39 off the last two overs. Hardik was on top of his mark to bowl the crucial over. Even after conceding a six off the first ball, he took the wicket of Sam Curran and ended the over with a dot, leaving Shivam Dube 30 runs to defend off the last six balls.Wankhede was on its feet. A mini conference was underway between Dube, Hardik and Surya and the tension was palpable. Centurion Bethell was on strike and his first hit went straight to Pandya, patrolling the long-off. England needed Bethell at the strike and the youngster tried to steal a second but Pandya’s rocket arm caught the 22-year-old short, ending England’s hope. Archer kept the scoreboard interesting with three sixes but it was too late as England fell short by seven runs.

Another Samson masterclass

The 14th over of the Indian innings was the only one in which England did not concede a boundary. On an evening when many boundaries and sixes were hit, Will Jacks’ third over was an anomaly. Boundaries and sixes flew thick and fast in the overs bowled around the off-spinner as India, riding on another Sanju Samson masterclass, demolished England by posting a mammoth total, batting them out of the game before they even came out to bat.

Sanju Samson of India bats watched by England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

The bounce was true and with nothing happening off the surface or in the air, India feasted with a clinical batting display. It was Samson again who put on a real show of attractive strokeplay to score back-to-back half-centuries. If the unbeaten 97 in the stiff chase against West Indies at the Eden Gardens was a picture of calm, the 89 at Wankhede had domination written all over it. He never looked to slow down, even when Abhishek Sharma threw his wicket away to Jacks’ off-spin, and the manner in which he took down the predictable Jofra Archer was pure class.Samson did get a reprieve on 15 when Harry Brook dropped a dolly at mid-on off Jofra Archer’s bowling, but he made the most of it and from there onwards played a chanceless knock.England played the matchups card well but the bowlers’ execution was far from satisfactory. All of them had an economy rate in double digits, with Archer leaking 61 runs in his four overs.The 30-year-old kept digging in short to Samson, who came well prepared and stood deep in his crease to counter the extra bounce. The only occasion when the right-armer went a bit full brought an opportunity, but Harry Brook missed the sitter, handing the in-form Samson an early life. Samson then added 74 runs from the next 35 deliveries he faced.India were cruising and Wankhede was roaring. The chants of “Sanju Samson” grew louder with every big hit and Ishan Kishan ensured the momentum did not dip from the other end as he smashed an 18-ball 39. When the dangerous southpaw was dismissed in the tenth over, India controlled the situation at 117/2. Since spin was expected to play a part, they demoted Surya and sent Shivam Dube to pile on more misery on the opposition.

Dube did not disappoint. Even after Samson was dismissed 11 short of a well-deserved hundred, he aced his role to perfection by using his long levers to full effect and kept 250 within reach. For Surya, it was another ordinary outing in a knockout or must-win fixture of a multilateral tournament but Hardik Pandya covered up for the Indian skipper’s early departure as both he, and, later, Tilak Varma played strong cameos to push the side over the 250-run mark.India’s innings mirrored their training session two days before the match as the batters operated with significant intent. The Men in Blue hit 19 sixes and the sixathon made them the only side in men’s T20 history to have six totals in excess of 250 in the format. India have already hit 88 sixes in the tournament, the most in a single edition, and they are set to flirt with the century mark when they take the field in the title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.Brief score:India: 253 for seven in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Shivam Dube 43, Ishan Kishan 39; Will Jacks 2/40, Adil Rashid 2/41).England: 246 for 7 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 105; Jasprit Bumrah 1/33, Hardik Pandya 2/38).

Sanju Samson of India (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

India opener Sanju Samson has thrust himself into the centre of attention after a match-winning, unbeaten 97 against the West Indies in a virtual knockout clash. The calmness he exhibited in a tense chase turned the game on its head and handed India crucial momentum ahead of the semifinal against England.The innings also represents a dramatic turnaround in Samson’s tournament. Having started on the bench after losing his spot in the playing XI, he made full use of the opportunity when recalled for the Windies encounter. Under immense pressure in a chase exceeding 190, the right-hander silenced detractors with a composed and authoritative display that could prove pivotal to India’s campaign.Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis offered a detailed tactical view of Samson’s game, identifying a potential chink in his armour. While acknowledging Samson’s strength through the mid-wicket region, Du Plessis suggested that high pace, particularly well-directed short balls above 140 kmph, can trouble him.“That’s always been the one area where you feel, with Sanju, you can attack him (with short ball), and it’s with high pace. He’s very strong in the tummy area, where that backswing is just beautiful. But 140-plus, if you get it nice and high, you feel like there’s a little window where you can attack him. It’s a weakness. So there’s the evidence in England, so they’ll have the blueprint,” Du Plessis said on ESPNCricinfo.Recent matches have followed a similar script for Samson, with quality short-pitched bowling testing him. The trend resurfaced in the Super 8 fixture against Zimbabwe, where Blessing Muzarabani removed him early by exploiting that very vulnerability.Expanding on his analysis, Du Plessis emphasised that Samson must now prepare for a barrage of short deliveries, especially against express quicks like Jofra Archer.“Sanju will know what’s coming, so for him now it’s – how do I counter it? What am I going to do when Archer comes short at me? Am I attacking it or are there other bowlers, where I can just play them a little bit better?” the former Proteas skipper added.

Sanju Samson celebrates his half century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and West Indies, at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: Moments after hitting the winning boundary, Sanju Samson took off his helmet and dropped to his knees to thank the almighty. Relief washed over the face of the right-hander who fired India into the T20 World Cup semifinals with a breathtaking knock. Even before the crowd could capture the winning moments, “Vande Mataram” played at full volume as the Indian dugout rushed out to celebrate what was a top run-chase under pressure. “Lehra Do” was up next and the laser lights joined the act as the announcer egged the crowd on. The party was only getting started in Kolkata after India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) with four deliveries to spare. Until a week ago in Ahmedabad, Sanju Samson was nowhere close to the Playing XI as India were happy with the two left-handers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma as their two openers. However, the consistent off-spin threat, which led to early wickets, forced the think-tank to rework its strategy and bring Samson, a right-hander, back to the top of the order. He had lost his spot to an in-form Kishan but the tactical call forced the left-hander down to No.3 and left-right was restored.

The move worked in the must-win game against Zimbabwe in Chennai earlier this week as it not only gave India a brisk start but also kept spin away. Although spin was introduced early in Kolkata and India lost two early wickets, Samson unlocked his maximum potential when the team had its back to the wall. Chasing a stiff target, the right-hander played an unforgettable knock to help India advance to the semi-final of the multi-nation tournament. He drove well, cut fiercely and exhibited big-match temperament in front of a capacity crowd at the Eden Gardens. Pace or spin, Samson took them down with aplomb and never lost shape in the process. He hit the ball where it was meant to be hit but his ice-cool nerves stood out during his 50-ball 97*, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes.The pitch had a lot of dew and the absence of demons made batting less difficult; however, the scoreboard pressure of the virtual quarter-final made it a daunting task. Wickets falling from the other end didn’t change Samson’s approach; he continued to operate at a healthy strike-rate and kept the asking rate in check. The partnership with Suryakumar Yadav put the chase on track after the early wickets, giving it the much needed push with the breezy 42-run stand, off only 26 balls, with Tilak Varma.

Sanju Samson plays a shot during the T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 1 match against West Indies at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. (ANI)

When Hardik Pandya joined Samson, the equation was under control: 55 runs were needed off 32 balls. With batting to follow, India controlled the game from that point. Samson and Pandya put India in striking distance of the win, with Samson helping India cross the line with five wickets in hand.Earlier, after electing to field first, India’s fielding was a major disappointment, and the group let the bowlers down in excellent batting conditions. Three misfield boundaries, two dropped catches and one missed run-out opportunity cost India dearly as they were not able to peg the high-flying West Indies batting line-up back with regular breakthroughs. The situation wasn’t alarming by any means at the halfway mark, as the bowlers kept the score down to 82/1. The scoreboard could have been much worse had they taken the catch and capitalised on the run-out opportunity but it was nowhere near panic territory.Both Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy had three overs left, and Suryakumar Yadav’s smart bowling changes gave India a tactical edge going into the second half of the innings. The West Indies signalled intent as they took 17 runs off Chakaravarthy’s second over. Body language dropped ever so briefly because Eden Gardens was about to erupt in the 12th over, bowled by Bumrah.

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Roston Chase during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and West Indies in Kolkata. (AP)

Two wickets, including that of the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, got the crowd roaring and ‘Boom Boom Bumrah’ chants reverberated in the stands every time the bowler stood on top of his mark. He had the matchup advantage over the left-hander and dismissed him in just two deliveries, adding another wicket with a slower ball that completely deceived the well-set Roston Chase. From 102/1, the scoreboard became 103/3 in the space of a couple of deliveries and India did what assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate expected: fight fire with fire.When the hosts circled for the final drinks interval of the innings at the end of the 14th over, the scoreboard showed a controlled 119/3, but India still had to get a Hardik Pandya over out of the way. During the break, head coach Gautam Gambhir went straight to the all-rounder and discussed the angle he could explore against Sherfane Rutherford. Pandya executed the plan perfectly, dismissing the left-hander off the first delivery to put India in a commanding position.125/4 with just five to play wasn’t a bad position, especially with four overs from Bumrah and Arshdeep, and one from Chakarvarthy remaining. Heavy dew started to settle in but one would have backed them to do the job in those crunch situations.

West Indies’ Rovman Powell and Jason Holder run between wickets during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Group 1 match against India at Eden Gardens Stadium, in Kolkata on Sunday. (ANI)

What unfolded, however, in the next five overs was a very calculated muscular assault from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder; together, they added 70 runs in the next 30 deliveries, taking down Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Chakarvarthy in the process.Bumrah conceded 26 runs in his last two overs, Chakarvarthy conceded 14, and Arshdeep leaked 30 from his remaining two overs. The 16th over, bowled by Arshdeep, swung momentum West Indies’ way as 24 runs came off it. The left-armer looked out of sorts, conceding two sixes, five wides and two more wides, causing shoulders to drop in the field. Bumrah gave it his all in the two remaining overs and his reaction after Varun let a ball go for a boundary summed up the overall performance in the field. Which was a big let down on their biggest evening of the tournament till date.However, a special Samson plastered all the cracks to book a semi-final date with England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.Brief Scores: West Indies 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37, Rovman Powell 34; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36)India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97; Jason Holder 2-38)