The 2026 BCCI Naman Awards There was more to New Delhi than just the official fort; it was a celebration of a new era in Indian cricket. While the evening honored the best talent on the local and international circuit, it was the heroes who remained in the spotlight India‘s last T20 World Cup triumph.
KL Rahul and Sanju Samson share a candid moment at the BCCI Naman Awards
Amidst the glitz and glamour, a special moment went viral, capturing the true essence of camaraderie in the Indian dressing room, with a heartwarming hug between the two. Sanju Samson and KL Rahul.
Cameras captured the heartfelt interaction as the T20 World Cup-winning team was called to the stage for a special tribute. Having shared many battles on the field with Samson, Rahul beamed at the keeper-batsman with a beaming smile. Ever the humble star, Samson immediately returned for a long, soulful hug with Rahul. The gesture resonated deeply with all cricket fans and was a reminder that despite the intense competition for places in the playing XI, the bond between these athletes remains unbreakable.
We present the video:
KL is giving us the feels tonight 🥹🇮🇳 as he calls out Sanju for a hug as he goes to collect his award pic.twitter.com/rBLvzSUDRS
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 15, 2026
Also WATCH: Vaibhav Suryavanshi names a particular record he wants to break in IPL 2026
Samson’s historic T20 World Cup 2026 campaign
For Samson, the 2026 T20 World Cup was the culmination of years of “toiling in the shadows”. Adjudged Player of the Tournament, Samson’s stats read like a dream: 321 runs in just five innings, maintaining an astonishing strike rate of nearly 200. However, numbers only tell half the story.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Samson admitted that the weight of the achievement was still sinking in.When I woke up in the morning, I thought, “Did it really happen?”Samson noted. He likened his journey to a movie script where he was left out at first, only to be brought back in when the team needed a miracle.
His performance under pressure was key to India’s title run. Samson has scored three consecutive 80-plus scores in the highest-stakes matches: the must-win Super Eight. West Indiasemi-final against Englandand grand final against New Zealand.
“I wanted to win the World Cup for my country, but he had his own plan, his own script. At the World Cup, all attention was focused on the team. The change happened when I realized that the team really needed me“, – added Samson.
Looking ahead, Samson expressed great confidence in the pipeline of Indian talent. He rejected the idea that this victory was a one-off, citing the high quality of players coming out of the local structure. According to the Kerala star, “we have quality players” ensures that India will lift trophies more often in the years to come.
Also READ: Captain Shubman Gill reveals the main objective of the Indian team
