The victorious Indian squad sees four of its key players named in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament, headlined by the “Player of the Tournament,” Sanju Samson.
Samson, an opener, earned his “Player of the Tournament” accolade with an impressive 321 runs from just five innings. Despite starting the tournament outside India’s initial lineup, he shone with Player of the Match performances against the West Indies and England. His crowning achievement was a masterful 89 runs against New Zealand in the final, marking the highest individual score ever recorded in a Men’s T20 World Cup final.
Joining Samson from the triumphant Indian side are Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah, whose exceptional contributions were crucial to India’s victory on home soil.
Ishan Kishan secured his spot by amassing 317 runs, the fourth-highest tally of the tournament, anchoring India’s batting with an astounding strike rate of 193.29. He opened with a commanding 77 against Pakistan and then adapted to bat at number three, delivering vital innings against England and New Zealand, including a crucial half-century in the final.
Hardik Pandya, the third Indian batter included, is recognized for his all-round brilliance. He struck two half-centuries with the bat, notably a quickfire 52 off 28 balls against Namibia, and also proved effective with the ball, taking nine wickets throughout the competition.
Jasprit Bumrah, named Player of the Match in the final, completes India’s quartet. He finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker, claiming 14 wickets from eight matches with an exceptional economy rate of 6.21. His outstanding performance in the final saw him take four wickets for just 15 runs.
Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan also features at the top of the order, having finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with an impressive 383 runs at an average of 76.60, highlighted by centuries against Sri Lanka and Namibia.
South African captain Aiden Markram is one of two Proteas players included. He contributed 286 runs, including three half-centuries, as his team advanced to the semi-finals.
His compatriot, Lungi Ngidi, also makes the cut with 12 wickets at an average of 15.58. Ngidi’s impactful spells included four wickets against Canada and three against both Afghanistan and the West Indies, alongside a particularly economical performance against India, conceding only 15 runs from four overs.
England’s Will Jacks earns his place in the middle order, recognized for his brilliant all-round displays that helped his side reach the semi-finals. Jacks consistently delivered crucial performances, such as an unbeaten 32 off 18 balls and two wickets for 23 runs against New Zealand, earning him four Player of the Match awards.
Jacks is joined by teammate Adil Rashid, a spinner who claimed 13 wickets at an average of 14.15.
The West Indies’ Jason Holder secures a spot thanks to his powerful all-round contributions. He took three wickets against Scotland and four against Nepal, later stepping up with vital batting performances in the Super Eights stage.
Rounding out the main XI is Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani, whose bowling was pivotal to his side’s impressive group stage run, including a fantastic four for 17 against Australia, finishing with nine wickets in the group stage.
The 12th player of the squad is Shadley van Schalkwyk from the USA, who took 13 wickets at an excellent rate of 6.84 and an economy of 6.80.
T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper)
- Ishan Kishan
- Aiden Markram (captain)
- Hardik Pandya
- Will Jacks
- Jason Holder
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Lungi Ngidi
- Adil Rashid
- Blessing Muzarabani
- 12th player: Shadley van Schalkwyk
