Ruthless India defeat history in Ahmedabad, defend T20 World Cup crown
India Today
T20 World Cup, IND vs NZ final: India hammered New Zealand in a one-sided final, posting 255 and then defending it by 96 runs in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8. Sanju Samson's sensational 89 and Jasprit Bumrah's magical four-wicket haul ensured India became the first team to lift three men's T20 World Cup titles.
Brief Scores: India (255 for 5 in 20 overs) beat New Zealand (159-all out in 19 overs) by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. | IND vs NZ final: Highlights | Scorecard |
The curse at the Narendra Modi Stadium has finally been lifted. Under the ring of fire, and in front of nearly 90,000 roaring fans in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8, the ghosts of November 19, 2023 were pushed aside. The noise was deafening, the sea of blue relentless, and this time India refused to let history haunt them again. Suryakumar Yadav's men defended the T20 World Cup crown in emphatic fashion, hammering New Zealand by 96 runs in a one-sided final on Sunday.
India became the first team to win the men's T20 World Cup on home soil and the first to successfully defend the title. They also moved ahead of England (2010, 2022) and the West Indies (2012, 2016) to become the only side with three men's T20 World Cup crowns - in 2007, 2024 and 2026.
CHAK DE, INDIAAAAA!Ladies & gentlemen, presenting the three-time ICC Men's T20 World Cup champions #T20WorldCup #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/0hb7APCcD2— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 8, 2026
Suryakumar Yadav, a late bloomer who was handed over captaincy at 33, joined a league of legends – Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur as the only captains to have won World Cups for India.
"Started post-2024 World Cup when BCCI at that time, Jay Shah bhai, at that time secretary of the BCCI, Rohit Bhai and everyone, showed faith in me, gave me an opportunity to lead this wonderful side, and then it was a long, long, long cycle coming here again at the Narendra Modi Stadium and doing it. I think it's a special feeling," Suryakumar said.
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On this day on March 14, 2001, India overcame a massive first-innings deficit to script a remarkable 171-run victory against Australia in the 2001 Kolkata Test, powered by the record-breaking partnership of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and a dominant display by Harbhajan Singh on the final day.
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