India became the first team to win three T20 WCs and the first hosts to win the title.
India defeated New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 on March 8, which was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This was India’s third T20 World Cup title, going past England and West Indies, who have won the title twice each.
After being asked to bat first, India began with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson at the top, as the pair spent a few overs settling in before targeting the Kiwi bowlers. Lockie Ferguson conceded 24 runs in his first powerplay over as Abhishek Sharma went on the offensive.
He smashed 52 off 21 balls, his second fifty of the tournament, including six fours and three sixes. Sanju Samson initially played the supporting role before taking charge after Rachin Ravindra removed Abhishek. After that, Samson and Ishan Kishan made full use of the powerplay and the following overs.
Kishan scored 54 off 25 balls, hitting four fours and four sixes, while Sanju Samson struck 89 from 46 balls, with five fours and eight sixes. India struggled briefly in the middle overs as Jimmy Neesham claimed three wickets in the sixteenth over of the innings. However, Shivam Dube blasted 28* from 8 balls to push India to 255/5 in 20 overs.
New Zealand expected their openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert to provide a strong start, but they took two overs to get going. Soon after, Axar Patel had Allen caught at the boundary for nine runs. The Kiwi middle order then collapsed as Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel removed Rachin Ravindra (1), Glenn Phillips (5), and Mark Chapman (3), leaving New Zealand at 70/4.
Tim Seifert was bowled by Varun after scoring 52 off 26 balls with five sixes and two fours, when Daryl Mitchell came in and launched a few big hits. However, Axar Patel dismissed him for 17 runs. Captain Mitchell Santner contributed 43 runs to slightly extend the Kiwi innings.
The innings soon wrapped up as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Neesham, Santner, and Matt Henry cheaply. Abhishek Sharma also picked up a wicket to finish New Zealand’s innings at 159 in 19 overs. India won the final by 96 runs, with Bumrah taking 4/15 and Axar Patel claiming 3/27.
With this victory, India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times, the first side to successfully defend the title, and the first team to lift the T20 World Cup as hosts.
The cricket fraternity was impressed with the way India was clinical in their win over New Zealand in the finals and lauded them on social media.
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