Sanju Samson played a blistering inning in the 3rd T20I match against Bangladesh in the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on October 12. Sanju smashed 111 runs in just 47 balls to notch up his maiden T20I ton. He reached the 100-run mark in just 40 balls, the 2nd fastest T20I century by an Indian batter. His power-packed innings had 8 sixes and 11 fours that not only entertained the entire Hyderabad stadium but also his special fans who were cheering up for him. The Kerala-based cricketer was going through a rough patch before his maiden T20I century. Eager to break the drought, Samson returned to scoring runs at an impressive strike rate of around 220. Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor, the Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, welcomed the 29-year-old to his home and honoured him with a traditional South Indian ‘Ponnada,’ a ceremonial shawl. During their meeting on Monday, Shashi Tharoor presented this shawl to Sanju Samson and clicked pictures together, which he later tweeted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle to inform about this ceremony. Also Read: Ajay Jadeja Surpasses Virat Kohli in Net Worth - Find Out How! Shashi Tharoor wrote: "Delighted to give a hero’s welcome to “ton-up Sanju” as Sanju Samson returned to Thiruvananthapuram after his stunning century versus Bangladesh. Found a “ponnada” in the appropriate India colours to honour him with!” Shashi Tharoor’s post on his ‘X’ handle: Delighted to give a hero’s welcome to “ton-up Sanju” as @IamSanjuSamson returned to Thiruvananthapuram after his stunning century versus Bangladesh. Found a “ponnada” in the appropriate India colours to honour him with!#SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/g87SxHDOb2 — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 14, 2024 What’s Next for Sanju Samson? Sanju Samson is expected to play in a few Ranji Trophy matches for his state team in the 2024-25 season before India departs for a T20I series in South Africa this November. Since Samson isn't included in the Test squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand at home, he's likely to play in the prestigious Indian red-ball domestic tournament.