Team India stormed into the final with a commanding victory over England in the semi-final, powered once again by Sanju Samson’s brilliance. For the second knockout tie in a row, Samson was named Player of the Match — but he chose to dedicate his award to teammates Shivam Dube and Jasprit Bumrah, a gesture that epitomised the spirit of the game.

Twice in succession, Sanju fell tantalisingly short of a century. But at the press conference he brushed aside personal milestones with a smile: “I haven’t missed two centuries. I have scored one 97 and one 89. It is a very big deal. I am very grateful for that. It’s going well.”