Sanju Samson once again stood up when the team needed him the most. In the T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8, the opening batsman played a historic innings before his departure. Indian cricket fans liked the way Samson faced the New Zealand bowlers.
However, he missed the century by just 11 runs. The right-handed batsman lost his wicket for 89 runs in 46 balls. He hit five fours and eight sixes to make the innings very impressive.
Sanju Samson’s historic innings
According to Cricbuzz data, Samson hit a total of 24 sixes in a T20I series, the second most by any batsman among full member teams. New Zealand opening batsman Finn Allen tops the list with 25 sixes. There has been a flood of reactions from cricket fans on the popular social media platform ‘X’.
on the first ball of 15th In the first over of the first innings, New Zealand’s fast bowling all-rounder James Neesham took the wicket of Samson with the help of substitute fielder Cole McConchie. When the batsman was out, India’s score was 203 runs.
During the innings, Samson formed two important partnerships – first with his opening partner Abhishek Sharma, and then with number three batsman Ishan Kishan. The pair of Sharma and Samson scored 98 runs in 43 balls. Whereas the partnership with Ishan was 105(48).
Most sixes in a T20I series (FM teams)
25 – Finn Allen (NZ) vs PAK, 2024
24 – Sanju Samson (IND)t20 world cup 2026
24 – Sikandar Raza (ZIM) – T20 WC Africa Qualifier, 2023/24
22 – Phil Salt (England) vs West Indies, 2023
22 – Abhishek Sharma (IND) vs England, 2025
22 – Tim Seifert (NZ) vs PAK, 2025
Historic night for Team India, historic night for Sanju Samson too
In the final of T20 World Cup 2026, the defending champion created history at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. For the seventh time in the history of men’s T20 International, the team scored more than 250 runs in an innings, the highest among all teams in the format.
Today (March 8, 2026) the team led by Suryakumar Yadav scored 255 runs losing 5 wickets in 20 overs, despite some early dismissals in the middle overs. On personal basis, Sanju Samson also made a record. According to the data, the opener’s 89 is the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final, surpassing Marlon Samuels and Kane Williamson’s 85* and 85 in 2016 and 2021 respectively.
Fans reacted a lot to Samson’s brilliant batting.
Samson is timing every shot beautifully tonight #INDvsNZ #T20WorldCup2026Final #India vs New Zealand #INDvNZ Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson Ishan Kishan
– Sanjay (@SalaarGodzillAA) 8 March 2026
Dynamic. fearless. Match changing.
What an innings by Sanju Samson!
89 runs in just 46 balls at a strike rate of 193.
Pure class, fearless hitting and perfect timing on the biggest stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final. #sanjusamson #t20worldcup2026… pic.twitter.com/psw4BM4AU8– Prem Kumar (@cbhushanamazon) 8 March 2026
Sanju Samson in last 3 matches
vs West Indies – 97(50)*
vs England – 89(42)
vs New Zealand – 89(46) pic.twitter.com/V4T5OmhDiR– Karthik (@Carthickkk) 8 March 2026
For the first time in T20 World Cup history, the top three players of a team have scored 50+ in the same innings:
-Sanju Samson 89
-Abhishek Sharma 52
– Ishan Kishan 54#NZvsIND pic.twitter.com/QXR3LEfoPW– Uzair Arbab (@uzair_arbab_) 8 March 2026
Ishan Kishan is bringing explosive shots in the middle overs #INDvsNZ #T20WorldCup2026Final #India vs New Zealand #INDvNZ Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson Ishan Kishan
– Sanjay (@SalaarGodzillAA) 8 March 2026
Sanju Samson continues batting masterclass #INDvsNZ #T20WorldCup2026Final #India vs New Zealand #INDvNZ Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson Ishan Kishan
– Sanjay (@SalaarGodzillAA) 8 March 2026
– 97*(50) vs WI in Virtual QF.
– 89(42) vs England in semi-finals.
– 89(46) vs New Zealand in the final.This is Sanju Samson T20 World Cup.
– Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) 8 March 2026
Consistency + Class = Sanju Samson.
– Hitman_Hits (@Hitman_Hits264) 8 March 2026
Read more: Abhishek Sharma punches his bat in anger after being dismissed in T20 World Cup 2026 final