By Vipul Kashyap

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 9 (ANI): India's fielding coach T Dilip expressed immense satisfaction after the 'Men in Blue' successfully defended their title at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, calling the triumph a moment of great happiness and a testament to the trust placed in him by the team management and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

India beat New Zealand handsomely by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday in Ahmedabad, becoming the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil, also the first to win consecutive titles, and the only team to lift the trophy three times (2007, 2024, and 2026).

Speaking to ANI after the historic victory, Dilip said the achievement holds special significance for him personally, having been part of India's support staff across multiple World Cup campaigns.

'It's a matter of great happiness. First of all, I would like to thank the BCCI, all the coaches, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, and both the captains (Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav) for trusting me. I feel a lot of satisfaction. We are happy with the ICC win, and I'm glad I was a part of it,' Dilip told ANI.

Sanju Samson's 89 off 46 balls at the top of the order in the final, along with contributions from Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shivam Dube, helped India post a mammoth 254 in the first innings.

Samson's innings was the top score by anyone in the match. Notably, this marked the third successive fifty and a match-defining innings from Samson's bat. He also scored an unbeaten 97 in a do-or-die Super 8s clash against West Indies and then scored 89 against England in the semifinals.

Hailing Samson for making the most of his opportunity during the T20 World Cup, saying his journey in the tournament felt almost like a movie script, India's fielding coach said the 'Player of the Tournament' was also 'exceptional' in his wicket-keeping.

Samson had entered the competition with uncertainty over his place in the playing XI. However, when the opportunity came, he delivered match-winning performances with the bat while also impressing behind the stumps.

'I think the credit for this should also go to Gautam Gambhir and Surya. They have maintained an environment with such clear communication that even the players who aren't playing have complete clarity about their roles,' Dilip said.

Reflecting on Samson's journey, Dilip said the Kerala cricketer's dedication during the times he was not in the playing XI made his eventual success even more special.

'As for Sanju... I've known him for many years. He is a wonderful human being who deeply understands the game. Even when he wasn't playing, he continued to practice with the exact same intensity, whether it was wicket-keeping or batting,' the fielding coach added.

Dilip emphasised that Samson's commitment during training sessions reflected his professionalism and mental strength, qualities that ultimately helped him make a major impact once he was included in the playing XI.

'And huge credit to him--when the opportunity finally came, he grabbed it with both hands. We all saw how brilliantly he batted, but if you watched the matches closely, his wicket-keeping was also exceptional,' Dilip said. (ANI)