Sanju Samson among 4 Indians in ICC T20 World Cup team of the tournament; SA's Markram named captain

Following his memorable performance in the ICC T20 World Cup, Malayali batter Sanju Samson has been named in the Team of the Tournament by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Along with Sanju, three other Indian players- Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya- also made it to the elite list.

The tournament saw the hosts, India, dominate the competition, retaining the title they won in 2024 by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final. Sanju played a key role in the summit clash, scoring 89 runs to help India post a massive total of 255/5. 

The wicket-keeper batsman also enjoyed a remarkable campaign that marked a strong comeback. Benched during the first half of the tournament, Sanju made the most of the opportunities he later received. In the crucial Super 8 clash against the West Indies, he scored an unbeaten 97 to guide India into the semi-finals. He followed it up with another match-winning knock of 89 against England in the semifinal, earning the Player of the Match award.

Sanju eventually finished as the Player of the Tournament, despite playing only five matches, scoring 321 runs- the highest among Indian batters in the competition. He also became the third batter to score half-centuries in both the semi-final and final of a T20 World Cup, and only the second player to register three successive scores of 80 or more in the tournament.

Among the other Indians included in the ICC team, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was included as the strike bowler, who impressed with 14 wickets, delivering crucial breakthroughs whenever the team needed him.

Ishan Kishan, who finished as the second-highest run-scorer for India with 317 runs in nine matches, was selected as the No 3 batter. All-rounder Hardik Pandya also found a place in the team after scoring 217 runs and picking up nine wickets during the tournament.

Meanwhile, Aiden Markram, the captain of the South Africa national cricket team, was named captain of the Team of the Tournament. Interestingly, neither the skipper of the finalists, India and New Zealand, found their name in the list.

"Though the Proteas could not improve on their 2024 performance and exited in the semi-finals, Markram was impressive in the way he handled and backed the talented South African bowling line-up," the ICC said. Markram also led from the front with the bat, scoring 286 runs in the tournament.

Apart from the four Indian players, the team includes two players from England and South Africa each, and one each from Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe and the United States.

ICC T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament:
Sahibzada Farhan, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Aiden Markram (c), Hardik Pandya, Will Jacks, Jason Holder, Jasprit Bumrah, Lungi Ngidi, Adil Rashid, Blessing Muzarabani.
12th man: Shadley Van Schalkwyk.