Ahmedabad: Former captain and batting icon Virat Kohli led the accolades Sunday for Sanju Samson, whose transformative performance in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earned him the Player of the Tournament award and propelled India to a historic championship.

Samson, the 35-year-old native of Kerala, was integrated into the starting lineup as a mid-tournament adjustment following a string of low scores from top-order batsman Abhishek Sharma. The replacement proved pivotal, as Samson recorded half-centuries in three consecutive high-stakes matches, guiding India from the edge of elimination to its record-breaking third title.

The victory marked several milestones: India became the first nation to successfully defend its T20 crown and the first to win the trophy as a host.

Kohli celebrated Samson's contribution in a late-night social media tribute featuring the official ICC Player of the Tournament graphic. "What a remarkable tournament from the most well-deserved Man of the Tournament @imsanjusamson. You performed when it mattered the most. Really happy for you, Chetta," Kohli wrote on his Instagram story.

placeholder
Virat Kohli's Instagram story

Samson’s resurgence began during the critical Super 8 stage, where his masterclass unbeaten 97 against the West Indies secured a victory in a must-win scenario. He followed that performance with an 89-run effort in the semifinal at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, setting the stage for India’s total of 253-7 and an eventual seven-run win over England.

The veteran batsman capped his campaign with another score of 89 in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. His performance as the match’s top-scorer allowed India to post a massive total, ultimately overwhelming the Black Caps by 96 runs to secure the world title.

With inputs from IANS