Daijiworld Media Network- Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Mar 6: In-form India opener Sanju Samson has been named among the eight nominees shortlisted for the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award announced by the International Cricket Council on Friday.
The other contenders include England all-rounder Will Jacks, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan, South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi and captain Aiden Markram, New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra and wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert, and United States pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk.
Samson, who missed the early part of the tournament, made a strong impact with consecutive player-of-the-match performances. The opener smashed a 42-ball 89 against England in the semifinal to guide India to a seven-run victory on Thursday.
Earlier, his 50-ball 97 laid the foundation for the defending champions’ five-wicket win over the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal.
The wicketkeeper-batter has so far scored 232 runs in four matches at an average of 77.33 and a strike rate of 201.73 in the tournament.
Jacks has been instrumental in England’s campaign, winning four player-of-the-match awards while scoring 226 runs and taking nine wickets in eight matches.
Farhan has been the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 383 runs in six innings, setting a record for the most runs in a single edition of the T20 World Cup. He also became the first player to score two centuries in the same edition, with hundreds against Sri Lanka and Namibia.
Ngidi has been South Africa’s most consistent fast bowler, claiming 12 wickets from seven matches at an economy rate of 7.19. Skipper Markram has also played a key role for the Proteas, scoring 286 runs including three half-centuries and taking a wicket in eight matches.
Ravindra has contributed with both bat and ball for New Zealand, scoring 128 runs and picking up 11 wickets in eight matches. Seifert has also been crucial in New Zealand’s run to the final, scoring 274 runs with eight half-centuries across eight games.
Despite the United States exiting in the group stage, van Schalkwyk impressed with the ball, taking 13 wickets in just four matches at an economy rate of 6.80.
India will face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.