New Delhi [India], March 14 (ANI): India’s star opener Sanju Samson praised his opening partner Abhishek Sharma, describing their partnership as effortless and balanced. He highlighted their combination as “fire and fire”, with both taking turns leading the attack.
Samson noted the natural Kerala-Punjabi friendship that underpins their understanding. Samson admired Sharma’s bravery and composure, saying he enjoys both their on-field and off-field camaraderie.
“We are not ice and fire, we are fire and fire. Sometimes he fires, sometimes I do. We have that kind of combination going. We have done this since 2024; we have a Kerala-Punjabi friendship in the middle. Everything comes pretty naturally to us, so we do not complicate it. He asks me, ‘How is the ball coming?’ I tell him that the ball is coming normally, and hit it for a six. It is really simple with him. Abhishek is very brave and collected. I love his character. I really love the partnership with him on and off the field,” Sanju Samson said at the India Today Conclave.
Samson and Sharma slammed New Zealand bowlers all over the park in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, adding 98 runs for the opening partnership, giving India a majestic start in the powerplay. Their brilliant start propelled India to 255 runs in the final.
Team India made history by securing a record-breaking third T20 World Cup title and becoming the first-ever team to defend the title and win it as a home nation following a brilliant 96-run win over New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Samson scripted a comeback for ages during the T20 World Cup as he battled inconsistency and benching to emerge as India’s leading run-getter in the tournament, delivering clutch performances when it mattered the most, with a string of half-centuries from the virtual quarterfinal against West Indies to the title clash against New Zealand.
Samson amassed 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, hitting 27 fours and 24 sixes and ended as the third-highest run-getter in the T20 WC.
Sharma reflected his struggle with the bat in the T20 WC, saying it was hard to accept. He emphasised that his main goal is to win ICC trophies for India, aiming not just for one victory but multiple successes, and expressed satisfaction that the team was performing well despite early setbacks.
Abhishek, who had struggled for form during the early stages of the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign and registered three consecutive ducks, delivered a crucial performance in the final.
The young batter played a match-defining knock of 52 runs off just 21 balls, smashing six boundaries and three sixes to provide India with a strong start in the first innings after being put in to bat.
“It is not easy to digest. I had a plan; the only goal was to win ICC trophies for the country. Going through this tournament, it was not the start I wanted. But the team was doing well. My dream was to win the tournament. My goal is not to win only one tournament, but many,” Abhishek said. (ANI)
