India will face England in the semifinal of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. The team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, secured a strong win over West Indies to reach the semifinals. This came after a difficult start in the Super 8 stage, where India lost to South Africa.

Before this big match, a heartwarming story came from Kerala. A textile shop owner decided to celebrate India’s success in a special way. After India qualified for the semifinals and Sanju Samson won the Player of the Match award against West Indies, the owner gave ₹500 to each employee in his shop.

People in the local area praised this kind gesture. It shows the strong love for cricket in Kerala and how the sport brings people together.

The shop owner also made another promise. If India wins the semifinal and Sanju Samson again wins the Player of the Match award, each employee will get ₹1000. If India wins the final and Samson receives the award once more, the reward will increase to ₹2000 for every staff member.

Watch the heartwarming moment below:

A textile shop owner in Kerala gifted 500₹ each to the staffs working at his store to share the happiness of India qualifying to semi finals and Sanju Samson winning Man of the Match award 🎉

He has also promised to giveaway a cash prize of 1000₹ and 2000₹ to each staff, if… pic.twitter.com/ixMXBlWHpa

— Deepu (@deepu_drops) March 3, 2026

Also read -Watch: Rinku Singh mistakenly walks away with Sanju Samson’s bat during IND vs WI super 8 match

Staff Celebrate Bonus and Praise Owner’s Kind Gesture

The staff members felt happy and surprised after receiving the bonus from their shop owner. They said such kind gestures create unity and shared joy at the workplace. Many people on social media also praised the owner. They called it a great example of love for cricket and respect for employees.

At the same time, Indian cricket coach Gautam Gambhir shared a heartfelt message for Rinku Singh after the sad death of Rinku’s father, Khanchand Singh. Rinku’s father had supported him throughout his cricket journey. He passed away after a long illness.

Gambhir said it takes strong character to play for the country while going through such personal pain. His message touched many fans and showed the human side of cricketers, who often deal with emotional pressure while playing at the highest level.

Many former players and teammates also supported Rinku during this tough time. He left the team for a short time to attend his father’s funeral. Soon after, he returned to join the squad for important matches in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. His return showed his dedication and deep respect for the game and the country, even during personal hardship.