India beat New Zealand T20 World Cup final by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday to become the first team to win the tournament three times.
Set a steep target of 256, New Zealand’s chase never settled. The Blackcaps were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs despite a fighting half-century from Tim Seifert.
India’s bowlers kept New Zealand under constant pressure, using disciplined lines and quick breakthroughs.
Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded the attack with 4 wickets for 15 runs in his four overs. Axar Patel added three wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma chipped in with one each.
For New Zealand, Seifert top-scored with 52 off 26 balls, hitting five sixes and two fours. Mitchell Santner (43) and Daryl Mitchell (17) were the only other batters to reach double figures.
India’s Batting Sets Up 255/5
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner chose to field first, but India’s top order made the most of ideal scoring conditions.
Openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson blasted 98 runs in seven overs. Sharma fell for 52 off 21 balls (six fours, three sixes) after Rachin Ravindra broke the stand in the eighth over.
Samson then combined with Ishan Kishan for a rapid 105-run second-wicket partnership off 47 balls, keeping the run rate soaring. James Neesham struck in the 16th over to remove both set batters, and he dismissed captain Suryakumar Yadav for a golden duck in the same over.
Samson finished as India’s top-scorer with 89 off 46 (eight sixes, five fours), while Kishan made 54 off 25 with eight boundaries, including four sixes.
After a brief wobble, Hardik Pandya (18) and Tilak Varma added 22 for the fifth wicket. Shivam Dube provided the late surge with an unbeaten 26 off eight balls, featuring three fours and two sixes.
For New Zealand, Neesham was the standout bowler with 3 for 46, while Ravindra and Matt Henry took one wicket each.
