Sanju Samson posts highest score in T20WC final; overtakes Virat Kohli as redemption story continues

AHMEDABAD: Indian batter Sanju Samson scripted perhaps the most important knock of his redemption arc, scoring a brilliant 89 during the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, registering the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final.

Samson’s brilliant run continues as he went past legendary Virat Kohli to become the batter with the most runs in a single T20 World Cup and also joined Virat and Shahid Afridi in an elite list of batters with fifties in T20 World Cup semifinal and final both. The hard-hitting batter made another fantastic 46-ball 89, with five fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 193.48.

His knock has overtaken West Indies batter Marlon Samuels’ 85* against England in the 2016 T20WC final and New Zealand star Kane Williamson’s 85 against Australia in the 2021 edition final.

Samson – 89 (46).
Kishan – 54 (25).
Abhishek – 52 (21).
Dube – 26* (8).

INDIA POST 255/5 IN THE T20 WORLD CUP FINAL AGAINST NEW ZEALAND. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/EWFLsIZDKl

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 8, 2026

Samson has made 321 runs so far in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, with 27 fours and 24 sixes, and, at the time of writing, is the second-highest run-getter in the tournament. He has overtaken Virat Kohli’s total of 321 runs in the 2014 T20WC edition to have the most runs by an Indian during a single T20WC edition. However, Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan overtook Virat’s record earlier, ending the tournament with 383 runs at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25, with two centuries and two fifties.

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Virat had scored fifties in the 2014 T20 World Cup semifinal: 72* against South Africa and 77* against Sri Lanka in the final. On the other hand, Afridi made 51 against South Africa and later 54* against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in the final.

Sanju has also joined Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene, Babar Azam, Virat, KL Rahul, Kusal Mendis, and Sahibzada as the batter with three successive 50-plus scores in T20WCs, the joint-most by a batter. Also, in a first time during the T20WC final, the top three in the batting line-up have made a half-century.

Coming to the match, NZ won the toss and elected to field first. However, a return-to-form, record-breaking fifty from Abhishek Sharma (52 in 21 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and his 98-run stand with Samson made NZ regret the decision.

Later, Samson stitched a century stand with Ishan Kishan (54 in 25 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) to take India past 200-run mark in 16th over. After a brief slowdown, Shivam Dube (26* in eight balls, with three fours and two sixes) made some valuable runs to take India to 255/5, the highest total in T20WC history.

James Neesham (3/46) was the leading wicket-taker for NZ. (ANI)