Ahmedabad – India cemented their status as the undisputed kings of T20 cricket on Sunday, handing New Zealand a crushing 96-run defeat in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium to successfully defend their world title.
In doing so, the Men in Blue became the first team to win three men’s T20 World Cups and the first to retain the trophy, adding another glorious chapter to their cricketing history. For New Zealand, the agonizing wait for a maiden 50-over or T20 World Cup trophy goes on.
The victory held extra significance for India, coming at the very venue where they had suffered heartbreak three years ago, losing the 50-over World Cup final to Australia.
Samson, Kishan Power India to Mammoth Total
Put in to bat first by New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, India’s batting lineup delivered a masterclass in power-hitting.
Openers Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) laid a devastating foundation with a 98-run partnership, milking 92 runs in the powerplay alone. After Abhishek’s dismissal, Ishan Kishan joined the party, smashing a rapid 54 to keep the scoreboard racing.
Samson was in imperious touch, smacking three sixes in a row off Rachin Ravindra. He was finally dismissed in the deep off James Neesham, who remarkably picked up three wickets in the over to slow India’s momentum slightly. Despite the late brakes, India posted a colossal 255-5 on the board.
Bumrah and Spinners Demolish Kiwi Top Order
Chasing a daunting target of 256, New Zealand’s chase never got off the ground. The top order wilted under pressure, slumping to 47-3 within the first five overs.
Jasprit Bumrah, fresh off a stellar tournament, produced a spell of pure genius, finishing with figures of 4-15 and earning the Player of the Match award.
“I knew the wicket was a flat one so had to use all my experience,” Bumrah said after the match. “This feels extremely special because I’ve played one final in my home venue but couldn’t win that one, but today I won.”
Spinners Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy chipped in with crucial wickets, ensuring New Zealand never built a meaningful partnership. While Tim Seifert (52) and Santner (43) fought back with defiant knocks, the required run rate was always a mountain too high. New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19 overs.
Samson Crowned Player of the Tournament
For his breathtaking consistency throughout the World Cup, which included three successive 80-plus scores, opener Sanju Samson was deservedly named the Player of the Tournament.
The victory marks a new high for this Indian T20 side, proving their dominance on home soil and etching their names in the record books as the first back-to-back champions.
