Celebrations broke out across Vizhinjam, the hometown of Sanju Samson, after India lifted the T20 World Cup trophy on Sunday. The coastal town turned festive as the local hero played a crucial role in the final, scoring a brilliant 89-run innings that helped India defeat New Zealand.
For many in the town, the victory felt personal. Fireworks lit up the sky, fans gathered along the beach to watch the final on large screens and chants of Sanju Samson’s name echoed throughout the night as India secured the historic win.
At the center of the celebrations was Sanju Samson’s family. His father, Samson Viswanath, shared his happiness and pride after seeing his son deliver such an important performance on the biggest stage. He said his son simply played his natural game and reminded everyone that Sanju had started playing cricket at a very young age of 13. According to him, he always believed that his son would perform well in the World Cup.
Samson Viswanath also revealed that even when people raised concerns about Sanju Samson’s form before the tournament, he never doubted his abilities and remained confident that he would rise to the occasion.
Leaders and supporters also visited the family to celebrate the achievement. CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby and A A Rahim went to Sanju Samson’s house to personally congratulate his father after the memorable victory.
Vizhinjam had already been buzzing with excitement during the tournament. Large banners of Sanju Samson decorated the town and every time he reached a milestone in the final, celebrations erupted among fans watching together along the beach.
Political leaders from across Kerala also congratulated both team India and Sanju Samson through social media. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the team’s achievement and highlighted the importance of the victory.
He said India had once again reached the pinnacle of world cricket by winning the title at home, calling it a historic moment for the country. Pinarayi Vijayan also noted that Sanju Samson’s performance in the tournament was a matter of pride for the people of Kerala.
According to the Chief Minister, the batter’s journey shows how talent combined with hard work can lead to remarkable achievements. He added that Sanju Samson winning the Player of the Tournament award further highlighted his outstanding contribution.
Other leaders also joined the celebrations online. General Education Minister V Sivankutty shared a photo of Sanju Samson on Facebook with the caption “Our Boy”.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, also praised the batter, posting “Once again Sanju Samson”. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala shared Sanju Samson’s picture and expressed pride in the star cricketer. Meanwhile, Industries Minister P Rajeev congratulated the Indian team for their dominant performance, praising them for winning the T20 title after defeating New Zealand convincingly.
For the people of Vizhinjam, the celebrations were about more than just a cricket victory. Seeing one of their own shine on the world stage and help India win the World Cup turned the small coastal town into the happiest place in the country on Sunday night.
