Sanju Samson's Birthday Call to Tharoor After T20 World Cup Heroics

Samson had a redemption story to remember, as he went from not being a part of the playing eleven in the start and having a frustratingly inconsistent form, he went on to play three of the most important innings of his career when it mattered the most, producing gems right from the virtual quarterfinal to the title clash against New Zealand. Tharoor also wished Samson for a new beginning in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), a franchise he was traded to after years of association with Rajasthan Royals.

Taking to X, Tharoor wrote, "Delighted to receive a birthday call last evening from Thiruvananthapuram's and India's WorldCup hero @IamSanjuSamson! Expressed my happiness at his superlative achievements and wished him all the best in the #IPL. Feeling so proud of him that words truly cannot suffice"

From 97* against West Indies in the virtual quarterfinal for the final semifinal spot, to 89 against England and another 89 against New Zealand in semifinals and finals, Sanju left everyone mesmerised with his clean hitting and silenced every bit of trolling, criticism about his poor run and inconsistency, at least for a very long while to come.

Samson made 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, with 27 fours and 24 sixes, and ended as the third-highest run-getter in the tournament. He also surpassed Virat Kohli's total of 319 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 as the leading run-getter with 383 runs at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25, with two centuries and two fifties.

Samson went past legendary Virat Kohli to become the Indian 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.

His knock overtook 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. He owns the highest score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup knockout game. He also joined Virat and Shahid Afridi, the Pakistani all-rounder, as the third player to post fifties in the T20WC semifinal and final.

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.

The 24 sixes struck by him are the most by a batter in a single T20 World Cup.

- ANI