The Kerala government will honour the wicket-keeper opening batter of the Indian side, Sanju Samson, after he won the ‘player of the tournament’ award with them winning the T20 World Cup 2026, having beaten New Zealand in the final by a massive margin of 96 runs at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Post this, Kerala's General Minister has made a massive decision.

The Kerala Education Minister, V. Sivankutty, has revealed to the reporters that the government has communicated the decision to Mr. Samson and was waiting for the cricketer’s nod. Samson’s hometown, Vizhinjam, is a coastal neighborhood and 20km away from Thiruvananthapuram. His school days were shared by his neighbours, relatives, and friends.

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“I was 11. My kit bag felt heavier than I did. I would leave home in Vizhinjam before sunrise, take two buses, and reach the Medical College ground by 6 a.m. After practice, I’d bathe by a small ground tap, change into my school uniform, and then catch a bus to St Joseph’s... School, homework, then back again for evening nets.” Sanju Samson recently wrote in his WhatsApp group.

Sanju Samson to be honoured with civic reception

The hometown friends of Samson revealed that he always needed somebody to bowl to him, even though it was hard to fox him at the nets. Neighbours looked back at the Kerala-born carrying a heavy kit and catching buses early in the morning for the practice sessions.

A historic triumph for the Men in Blue!

​India’s spectacular victory in the T20 World Cup final is a moment of immense pride for the entire nation. A phenomenal campaign defined by grit, passion, and teamwork has brought the championship home once again.

​Special… pic.twitter.com/sivK3hTJud

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) March 8, 2026

“Watching him, I understood something early. You can’t control the sea. You can only control how prepared you are when you go out. Some days you come back with nothing. But you still wake up the next morning and go again. That stayed with me.” The wicket-keeper batter penned down as Samson’s grandfather was a fisherman.

While Jasprit Bumrah won the Player of the Match award, Samson ended with the Player of the Tournament award as he collected 312 runs in the five innings with the help of three successive half-centuries, becoming the third player after Shahid Afridi and Virat Kohli to win back-to-back awards in the semifinal and final.