AHMEDABAD: India secured their third T20 World Cup title after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
After winning the toss, New Zealand opted to field first. India made the most of the opportunity to bat and posted a huge total of 255 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs, powered by impressive innings from Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Abhishek Sharma.
Samson led the charge with a brilliant 89 off 46 balls, while Kishan played an aggressive knock of 54 from just 24 deliveries. Abhishek Sharma added quick runs with a 52-run innings off 21 balls. Shivam Dube also provided late momentum, finishing unbeaten on 26 from only 8 balls.
Among New Zealand’s bowlers, James Neesham stood out by taking three wickets, while Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra claimed one wicket each.
In response to the challenging 256-run target, New Zealand struggled to keep up with the required run rate and were eventually dismissed for 159 in 19 overs. Tim Seifert scored 52 runs and captain Mitchell Santner contributed 43, but their efforts were not enough to chase down the large total.
India’s bowling attack performed strongly, with Jasprit Bumrah taking four wickets and Axar Patel adding three more to seal a comfortable victory.
The win also marked a historic achievement for India, as they became the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title. India had previously won the tournament in 2007 and 2024, making this their third championship victory.
