AHMEDABAD, INDIA: India finally broke the Ahmedabad jinx when they beat New Zealand in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the city on Sunday, March 8. The Men in Blue successfully defended the title they had won last year, and had also claimed in its inaugural edition in 2007. India also became the first nation to win the title thrice, as well as winning it on home soil.
New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first in a move that backfired spectacularly. India’s openers Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) tore into the Kiwi pacers, taking Lockie Ferguson, especially, to the cleaners. The seamer bowled just two overs, conceding 48 runs in the powerplay, as India finished the six-over phase at 92-0.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was forced to turn to spin, but Rachin Ravindra (2-0-32-1) did not help his team’s cause at all. Santner, himself, however, told a different story, giving away just 33 runs in his four overs, albeit without picking up a wicket. Ravindra scalped Sharma’s wicket, only for Ishan Kishan (54 off 25 balls) to keep the momentum going in India’s favour.
All-rounder James Neesham was given the ball in the 16th over, and he reinforced his reputation as a golden arm by dismissing Samson, Kishan and India skipper Suryakumar Yadav (0) in it. India, thanks to Hardik Pandya’s late 18 off 13 balls and Shivam Dube’s 8-ball 26, ended with a gargantuan 255-5, with Neesham finishing with figures of 4-0-46-3.
New Zealand lost Finn Allen, the centurion from the semifinal, in the fourth over of the final
The Kiwis were not pleased by the fact that the centurion from the semifinal, Finn Allen (9), was caught by Tilak Varma off Axar Patel with just 31 runs on the board in the third over. Although Tim Seifert (52 off 26 balls) kept going, he received minimal support from the other end, save captain Santner, who struck a well-meaning 43 off 35 balls.
Patel picked up three wickets, and the freak called Jasprit Bumrah snared three in one over, including two tailenders, to wrap up the Kiwi innings. Bumrah (4-0-15-4) was strangely named the Player of the Match, given that his impact had come much late in the game when it had already turned in India’s favour and also since three of his four wickets were those of non-pure batters.
However, India did not mind and burst into celebrations soon after Jacob Duffy brought his front foot out to slog a tossed-up delivery from left-arm spinner Sharma straight down the throat of Varma at long on in the 19th over to be the last Kiwi batter out. The hosts successfully defended the trophy, which they had last won in its previous edition in 2024, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, in North America.
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