Samson crowned Player of the Tournament as India celebrate T20 World Cup three-peat
India's third T20 World Cup title triggered wild celebrations across the country on Sunday night. While the match itself was a one-sided affair, the aftermath told its own story, with Samson collecting the Player of the Tournament award and captain Suryakumar Yadav slapping himself in disbelief on the podium.
Samson's redemption
Samson finished the tournament with 321 runs at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate north of 199 across five innings. His 89 off 46 balls in the final set a record for the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final, beating the previous record total of 176-7 set by India against South Africa in the 2024 final.
But it very nearly did not happen. Samson managed just 46 runs in five T20I innings during a torrid New Zealand series before the tournament, and his place in the squad was far from certain.
"After the NZ series I was broken, my dreams were completely shattered," he said after receiving the award. "I was thinking what can I do. But God had different plans. And I was rewarded for being brave enough to dream."
He revealed he had been in constant touch with Sachin Tendulkar in the months before the World Cup, working to strip his game back to basics and block out external noise.
Bumrah dismantles New Zealand
Bumrah's 4-15 from four overs earned him the Player of the Final award. His spells at the top and the death broke New Zealand's chase before it could build any momentum, with the Kiwis bowled out for 159 chasing India's imposing 255-5.
Axar Patel took 3-27 alongside Bumrah, while Tim Seifert (52 off 26 balls) was the only New Zealand batter to put up meaningful resistance. Captain Mitchell Santner made 43 off 35 balls but ran out of partners.
Suryakumar joins elite company
The viral moment of the night came from Suryakumar Yadav. After the trophy presentation, he walked to the middle of the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium, bent down to touch the soil, and placed his hand on his forehead. Then he slapped himself, apparently unable to believe he had joined Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma as Indian World Cup-winning captains.
Suryakumar, 35, took over the T20I captaincy from Rohit after the 2024 World Cup and has now overseen a title defence that no country has managed before in the format's history.
India takes to the streets
Celebrations spilled across the country. Firecrackers lit up Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Crowds gathered at India Gate. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered their congratulations, while Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli praised the team's run through the home tournament.
India's 255-5 was the highest total ever posted in a T20 World Cup final, obliterating the previous record of 176-7. Ishan Kishan hit 54 off 25 balls and Abhishek Sharma blasted 52 off 21, reaching his fifty in just 18 deliveries, the fastest in T20 World Cup knockout history.
