Sanju Samson’s fan Basil Joseph has his share of limelight at T20 World Cup

Dubai: When Sanju Samson was in the thick of action during the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Sunday, another Malayali star was stealing attention in the stands.

Malayalam actor and director Basil Joseph — a close friend of the Indian cricketer — was spotted enthusiastically buying a jersey with Samson’s name on it, proudly claiming the title of one of the cricketer’s biggest fans from Kerala.

Basil cheered passionately as his friend Sanju Samson helped India clinch the trophy. A viral video shows him stopping at a roadside shop with a group of young fans, where he buys a jersey with Sanju’s name and waves it like a true supporter.

One excited boy hyped him up, calling Basil “the president of Sanju Samson’s Kerala fan club.” Playing along, Basil gets the Indian flag painted on his cheeks before heading into the stadium, fully charged with fan energy.

Basil and Sanju share a strong friendship, and the filmmaker rarely misses a chance to support the cricketer. When Samson smashed an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies cricket team in a key match, Basil celebrated online by quoting skipper Suryakumar Yadav: “Good things will happen to good people — the Sanju Samson story.” He has also shared fun photos of Sanju hanging out with friends on outings. Basil was among the few celebrities present at the stadium to witness India’s big win.

“I’m overjoyed! Like every Malayali and Indian. Everyone hoped for Sanju’s comeback, but we weren’t sure it would happen. When the opportunity came, he seized it in the fullest sense — that’s the beauty,” Basil told Simply Mollywood.

“He didn’t just come and score runs. In the most crucial match, opening the innings, with wickets falling at one end, he held the crease for 20 overs and led India to a record chase. Scoring 97 not out and taking the team to victory felt like a peak cinematic experience,” he added.