India is going to do this more and more often: Sanju Samson
New Delhi (PTI): Sanju Samson, whose exploits fuelled India's recent T20 World Cup triumph, on Sunday asserted that the country is poised to rule global cricket for years to come.
Speaking on the sidelines of the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 in the capital, Samson also likened his exploits during India's triumphal march to the title to a movie, and said it was yet to sink in.
"Not yet, I am still like, actually, when I get up in the morning I'm like 'has it really happened'. So honestly, that's the feeling," Samson said when asked about last Sunday's triumph.
He added, "But I feel that in the coming years with the quality of players we have in our country, this is going to be repeated. It's not going to be, okay, it has happened once in a while. The amount of players which are coming up and definitely India is going to do this more and more often."
Samson was named Player of the Tournament in the 2026 T20 World Cup after a historic campaign, scoring 321 runs at a strike rate of nearly 200 in just five innings to lead India to the title.
Despite not playing initially, he delivered 80-plus scores in the must-win Super Eights match against the West Indies, the semi-final against England, and in the final against New Zealand.
Samson further said he has been dreaming to help India win a World Cup.
"Absolutely, I think you can only dream where you want to go, but you can't definitely ride the path towards it. So my life or my career has been one of the best examples. I definitely wanted to do this a couple of years ago.
"I want to win a World Cup for my country, but it had its own plan, its own script. So, but more like a movie. I enjoyed it," Samson said.
The unassuming star from Kerala has been toiling for years to leave an impact on the game, and the T20 World Cup was his finest moment.
"As I said before, I wanted to do something like this, then I got pulled out of my journey, and then suddenly, the team wanted me to come and contribute, and that's when I actually mentally flipped a bit... I think, before that, in the New Zealand series, the focus was all about myself.
"But in the World Cup, the focus is all about the team. I think what does a team require. And in the Zimbabwe game, right from that moment, everyone wanted me to contribute to it. I had a role to play.
"So that's when the shift happened and the confidence that, okay, 'the team needs you, Sanju', and let's do what you can the best. So that's where everything started from.
"And then I had the experience, I was working mentally. I was working physically, so I knew that I'm ready, and I knew that this is meant for me, so I just had to do what I know best.
"So, I've been playing this format for a very long time and then it was just about planning and going out there and executing it," Samson said.
Pacer Mohammed Siraj described the triumph as a "miracle" from a personal point of view as he was not even part of the initial squad for the tournament and was included only as a replacement for an injured Harshit Rana.
"I was not in the initial squad, then I got it, 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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
