
AHMEDABAD: When India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to win their third ICC Men's T20 World Cup title, one of the names that echoed in the stadium was that of Malayali star Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batsman from Thiruvananthapuram was named Player of the Tournament, and his performance played a crucial role in India’s title victory. However, amid the celebrations, another detail caught the attention of fans and sparked discussion on social media.
After the victory, coach Gautam Gambhir and the players arrived to receive the trophy wearing special jerseys with “Champions” written on them. But throughout the celebrations on the field, Sanju Samson was seen without the Champions jersey. This quickly became a topic of debate among fans online.
Sanju received the Player of the Tournament award, while Jasprit Bumrah was named Player of the Match in the final. While the rest of the team maintained the same celebratory outfit, fans questioned why Sanju was the only player not wearing the Champions jersey. It is still unclear whether he did not have time to change into the jersey during the busy award ceremony or if there was another reason behind it.

Sanju finished among the top run-scorers of the World Cup, scoring 321 runs from five matches, an impressive achievement. He was also India’s top scorer in the tournament. Regardless of the jersey he wore, this World Cup triumph belongs to Sanju as well. Throughout the tournament, he emerged as a key pillar of the Indian batting lineup with several match-winning performances.
Sanju played crucial knocks during important matches, including the Super 8 clash against West Indies and the semi-final against England, where he strengthened India’s batting. In the final against New Zealand, he once again stepped up under pressure and scored valuable runs to help India post a strong total. His consistent performances throughout the tournament ultimately earned him the Player of the Tournament award.