Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 9 (IANS) Cricket is a game rich in statistics, folklore and superstition. Over the years, fans have delighted in spotting patterns that seem too curious to ignore. One such enduring cricketing quirk has quietly taken root in Indian cricket: whenever India wins a men’s World Cup, there is always a Malayalee presence in the squad.

The pattern began with India’s historic triumph at the 1983 Cricket World Cup under Kapil Dev. Among the squad members was Kerala fast bowler Sunil Valson. Although Valson did not get a chance to play a single match during the tournament, his presence in the team became a footnote in Indian cricket folklore once India lifted the trophy at Lord’s.

Nearly a quarter century later, the curious pattern resurfaced when India won the inaugural 2007 ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa. This time the Malayalee presence was far more visible. Fiery pacer S. Sreesanth played an important role in the tournament and was memorably under the high ball when he completed the catch that sealed India’s dramatic final victory.

The same Kerala connection continued when India clinched the 2011 Cricket World Cup on home soil. Sreesanth was once again part of the squad, reinforcing what fans jokingly began calling a “Malayalee lucky charm” in India’s World Cup campaigns.

The pattern resurfaced in the modern T20 era as well. When India won the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Kerala wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson was part of the victorious squad.

And in the latest chapter of this curious cricketing tale, Samson once again found himself at the centre of India’s triumph at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This time, however, it was not just a symbolic presence.

The stylish batter delivered three consecutive match-winning knocks during the knockout stages, helping propel India to the title.

The unusual trend even caught the attention of former India coach and commentator Ravi Shastri during the broadcast, who pointed out the Kerala connection with amusement.

Whether coincidence, superstition or simply a charming cricketing quirk, the so-called “Malayalee luck charm” has now become another delightful chapter in India’s rich World Cup folklore.

–IANS

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