Sanju Samson’s commanding knock and Jasprit Bumrah’s clinical spell power India to a dominant 96-run win and a historic third straight T20 World Cup title.
Ahmedabad: India scripted history with a commanding 96-run victory over the New Zealand national cricket team to win their third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue became the first team to successfully defend the title and the first to lift the T20 World Cup on home soil. India had earlier won the tournament in 2007 and 2024, and the emphatic triumph sealed their place as the most successful team in the competition’s history.
A packed crowd of more than 86,000 fans witnessed a dominant Indian performance as the hosts piled up a massive 255/5 before bowling New Zealand out for 159 in 19 overs.
India’s triumph was built on a sensational batting display led by Sanju Samson, who smashed a blistering 89 off 46 balls, striking five fours and eight sixes. Opening alongside Abhishek Sharma, Samson shared a rapid 98-run partnership in just 7.1 overs that set the tone for the final. Abhishek delivered on the biggest stage with a fearless 52 off 21 balls, while Ishan Kishan continued the onslaught with a quickfire 54 off 25 deliveries as India’s top order dismantled the New Zealand attack.
Even after a brief slowdown when James Neesham picked up three wickets in a single over, India finished strongly thanks to Shivam Dube, who hammered an unbeaten 26 off just eight balls in the closing stages. The late flourish pushed India beyond the 250 mark, registering the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final and leaving New Zealand with a daunting chase.
India’s bowlers then ensured there would be no comeback. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah produced a brilliant spell of 4 for 15 to claim the Player of the Match award, using clever variations and slower deliveries to dismantle the New Zealand batting lineup. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel also struck early, removing key batters as the Black Caps struggled to keep up with the soaring required run rate.
New Zealand briefly showed resistance through Tim Seifert’s 52 and captain Mitchell Santner’s 43, but the pressure of the massive target proved too much. Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, and the innings ended in the 19th over, sealing one of the most dominant victories in a T20 World Cup final.
As fireworks lit up the Ahmedabad sky and players celebrated in front of a sea of blue, India added another historic chapter to their cricketing legacy by becoming the first team to win three ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and the first to successfully defend the title.
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