India scripts history in Ahmedabad: Third T20 World Cup title as New Zealand crumble

AHMEDABAD – India has once again ascended to the pinnacle of world cricket, defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In front of a raucous home crowd of over 100,000, India became the first team in history to win three T20 World Cup titles and the first to successfully defend the crown on home soil.

The Batting Carnage

After New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl, India's openers unleashed a relentless assault. Abhishek Sharma (52 off 21 balls) and Sanju Samson (89 off 46 balls) shared a 98-run opening stand in just 7.1 overs. Despite a momentary wobble in the 16th over where Jimmy Neesham took three wickets in six balls—including captain Suryakumar Yadav for a duck—India's momentum never truly stalled.

Ishan Kishan contributed a vital 54, while Shivam Dube provided the final flourish, smashing an unbeaten 26 off 8 balls. India finished with 255/5, the highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup final.

The Kiwi Collapse

Chasing a daunting target of 256, New Zealand’s chase never found its rhythm. Early wickets from the spin-pace duo of Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah left the BlackCaps reeling. While Tim Seifert (52) and skipper Mitchell Santner (43) offered some resistance, the scoreboard pressure proved insurmountable.

Jasprit Bumrah was the star with the ball, finishing with extraordinary figures of 4/15, while Axar Patel chipped in with 3/27. The BlackCaps were eventually bundled out for 159 in the 19th over.

Historical Significance

This victory marks a significant milestone for Indian cricket, moving them past Australia (13) to become the most decorated team in ICC history with 14 senior and U19 trophies. For New Zealand, it was another "so close, yet so far" moment, marking their second defeat in a T20 World Cup final.

"In 2024, I was with the team but didn't play a game. I kept dreaming, kept visualizing. This is exactly what I wanted to achieve," said an emotional Sanju Samson during the post-match presentation.