Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 16: Sanju Samson said he still wakes up in disbelief after being part of India national cricket team’s triumph at the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where he emerged as the Player of the Tournament.
Speaking at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awards in New Delhi on Sunday, Samson said the achievement still feels surreal but expressed confidence that India’s strong talent pipeline would lead to more World Cup successes in the future.
“Not yet, I am still like, when I get up in the morning, I'm like, ‘has it really happened’. That’s the feeling,” Samson said. “But with the quality of players we have in our country, this is going to be repeated. The number of players coming up in India will definitely make this happen more often.”
Samson delivered an exceptional performance during the tournament, scoring 321 runs in just five innings at a strike rate close to 200 despite not being part of the starting XI initially.
His standout knocks included a match-winning unbeaten 97 against West Indies cricket team in the Super Eight stage, followed by scores of 89 in the semi-final against England cricket team and another 89 in the final against New Zealand cricket team.
Reflecting on his journey, Samson said winning a World Cup for India had always been a dream, though the path to achieving it unfolded unexpectedly.
“You can only dream where you want to go, but you can’t definitely ride the path towards it. My career is one of the best examples,” he said. “I wanted to win a World Cup for my country a couple of years ago, but it had its own plan and its own script. It’s more like a movie, and I enjoyed it.”
Samson added that his mindset changed once he realised the team needed his contribution during the tournament.
“In the World Cup, the focus was all about the team and what the team required. When the team said, ‘we need you’, that’s when the confidence came and everything started to fall into place,” he said.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj also described his journey as remarkable after joining the squad as a late replacement for injured pacer Harshit Rana.
“I was not in the initial squad, then I got the opportunity and played a game, and now I have been part of two World Cup-winning squads. I would say it’s a miracle for me,” Siraj said.