India beat New Zealand by 96 runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Sunday, to become the first team to win the tournament three times.
Set to chase a daunting 256-run target, New Zealand’s batting faltered against a disciplined Indian bowling attack and could muster 159 before getting bowled out in 19 overs despite Tim Seifert’s half-century.
The opening batter waged a lone battle for the Blackcaps with a gutsy 52 off 26 deliveries, hitting five sixes and two fours.
Besides him, only Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell could amass double figures, making 43 and 17, respectively.
Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded India’s bowling charge with a four-wicket haul, conceding just 15 runs in his four overs. He was supported by Axar Patel, who bagged three wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma chipped in with one apiece.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner’s decision to field first backfired as his team’s bowling unit conceded 255/5 in 20 overs against the home side.
India got off to a flamboyant start to their innings as their opening pair of Sharma and Samson put together 98 runs in just seven overs.
Rachin Ravindra eventually broke the opening partnership on the first delivery of the eighth over by getting Sharma caught behind, who made 52 off 21 deliveries, laced with six fours and three sixes.
Following his dismissal, Ishan Kishan joined Samson in the middle, and the duo ensured retaining India’s momentum by knitting a 105-run partnership for the second wicket off just 47 deliveries before both fell victim to James Neesham in the 16th over.
Samson remained the top-scorer for India with 89 off 46 deliveries, studded with eight sixes and five fours, while Kishan smashed eight boundaries, including four sixes, on his way to a 25-ball 54.
Neesham inflicted another blow to India’s batting expedition in the same over as he dismissed their captain Suryakumar Yadav for a golden duck, reducing the home side to 204/4 in 16 overs.
Following the brief collapse, all-rounder Hardik Pandya (18) and Tilak Varma joined forces for a 22-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which culminated with the former’s dismissal in the penultimate over.
Pandya’s dismissal paved the way for Shivam Dube to walk out and add valuable runs at the backend with an unbeaten 26-run cameo, coming off just eight deliveries and featured three fours and two sixes.
Neesham was the standout bowler for New Zealand, taking three wickets for 46 runs in his four overs, while Ravindra and Matt Henry could pick up one apiece.
