Kerala CM Felicitates Sanju Samson After T20 World Cup Heroics

March 17: CM Pinarayi Vijayan felicitated Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson for his stellar performances in India’s victorious campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this month.

The Kerala Chief Minister hosted Samson at his official residence, Cliff House, on Monday to honour his contributions to the national team’s triumph. Samson, dressed in traditional attire, was presented with a commemorative memento bearing the message, “We salute Sanju Viswanath Samson.”

The honour also recognised his outstanding performances during the knockout stages of the tournament. Samson played a crucial role with a blistering 97 off 50 balls against the West Indies cricket team in the Super 8 stage, followed by an impressive 89 off 42 against the England cricket team in the semifinal. He capped off the campaign with another match-winning 89 off 46 balls against the New Zealand cricket team in the final.

Sharing the moment on X, Vijayan expressed pride in Samson’s achievements, stating that he conveyed the love and admiration of the people of Kerala. He also wished the cricketer continued success in his career.

Samson’s journey in the tournament was marked by resilience. He was initially left out of India’s playing XI for the opening match, with the team management opting for Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeper alongside opener Abhishek Sharma. His selection had also been questioned following a modest performance in a home T20I series against New Zealand cricket team, where he managed only 46 runs in five matches.

However, Samson silenced critics with a series of match-winning innings, emerging as one of the standout performers of the tournament and playing a key role in India’s success.

Following the celebrations, the Kerala batter has now shifted focus to the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is set to represent Chennai Super Kings for the first time, after moving from Rajasthan Royals.

Chennai will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30. The team will then face Punjab Kings at home on April 3, travel to play Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 5, and return home to take on Delhi Capitals on April 11.

After finishing at the bottom of the table in IPL 2025 with just four wins in 14 matches, Chennai Super Kings will be aiming for a strong comeback this season, with Samson expected to play a key role in their revival.