Mumbai, March 11: England spinner Adil Rashid explained why Indian opener Sanju Samson deserved the Player of the Tournament award in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Rashid said that Samson delivered when it mattered the most and he also played a key role in Indian team's success during the tournament.
A video is going viral on social media in which Adil Rashid is speaking on a podcast and praising Sanju Samson for his impactful performance in the World Cup.
Important Innings
Adil Rashid said that Sanju Samson produced three important back-to-back innings and performed strongly in the crucial knockout matches. The wicket-keeper batsman also played match0winning knocks in both the semi-final and the final. His innings helped Team India in the most important moments of the competition.
Compares With Sahibzada
Rashid also pointed out that some players, including Sahibzada Farhan, might have scored more runs overall in the tournament. However, he said that Samson's impact in the knockout games made a bigger difference.
Due to Sanju Samson's performances in the high-pressure matches, Rashid believes Samson was the clear choice for the Player of the Tournament award.
Third Highest Scorer In Tournament
Samson played only five matches in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and scored 321 runs. He also broke Virat Kohli's record of scoring most runs in a single edition of the tournament. He became the third highest scorer of the tournament after Sahibzada Farhan and Tim Seifert.
