India beat New Zealand by a whopping margin of 96 runs in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8. India became the first side to successfully defend this title. The Men in Blue won it on home soil. India last won this tournament in the West Indies and the USA in 2024, having also snapped up its inaugural edition in 2007.
New Zealand bowled first and conceded runs aplenty. This allowed India to put up a mammoth total of 255-5 on the board. Openers Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) tore into the Kiwi bowlers, especially pacer Lockie Ferguson, who conceded 48 runs in his two overs inside the powerplay. Sharma, who was short of runs all tournament, finally came good. Ishan Kishan, batting at number three, also struck a timely 54 off just 25 deliveries. India finished well, thanks to Shivam Dube’s 8-ball 26 not out.
In response, New Zealand lost their star opener Finn Allen, who scored a century in the semifinal, in just the third over, to spinner Axar Patel. Although wicketkeeper-opener Tim Seifert kept the flag flying with a brave 52 off 26 deliveries, he got out by pulling a rank short delivery from Varun Chakaravarthy to Kishan at deep midwicket, who did a good balancing act to stay clear of the ropes. None of the other Kiwi batters put up a fight, save Mitchell Santner’s 43, and this allowed the Indians to wrap their innings up.
Seamer Jasprit Bumrah, widely regarded as one of the best seamers in the world, took 4-15, using his slower deliveries to good effect. He bowled the likes of Santner, James Neesham and Matt Henry off slower yorkers, dipping the ball right at the end. Quite fittingly, the speedster was awarded the Player of the Match. India romped home inside 19 overs as Jacob Duffy slogged a ball from Abhishek Sharma straight down Tilak Varma’s throat at long on for a comfortable catch.
