On the road to the Narendra Modi Stadium, a banner proclaimed: ‘Some days are green, some days are red, today is all about blue’. The Men in Blue lived up to that billing during a rousing Sunday night.
IND vs NZ ICC T20 World Cup Final: Follow highlights, updates on February 8, 2026
Among the list of milestone dates in India’s limited-overs cricketing history — June 25, 1983; September 24, 2007; April 2, 2011; and June 29, 2024 — add March 8, 2026. At a packed venue, the defending champion dished out a commanding performance to claim the ICC T20 World Cup after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs.
This was India’s fifth World Cup triumph, including two in ODIs and three in T20Is.
Early wickets
Pursuing India’s 255 for five, New Zealand was bowled out for 159 in 19 overs. Suryakumar Yadav’s men buzzed around, and the chase was a non-starter as Finn Allen failed to capitalise on a dropped catch by Shivam Dube, and succumbed to Axar Patel.
Top batters for India
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The Hindu
It got worse when Rachin Ravindra tried to flick Jasprit Bumrah over backward square-leg. A sprinting Ishan Kishan dived full length and plucked a stunner. And when Axar pegged back the stumps of Glenn Phillips, the Black Caps were wobbling at 47 for three.
Opener Tim Seifert who thumped 20 from a Hardik Pandya over, tried to keep the fires burning. But when Hardik dismissed Mark Chapman and Seifert (52) perished to Varun Chakaravarthy, the rivals were down for the count. Skipper Mitchell Santner tried to delay the inevitable, landing some blows, before Bumrah ensured that India won with ease.
Samson ensured India seized the initiative with another sparkling knock before Bumrah took the wind out of New Zealand’s sails.
| Photo Credit:
Emmanual Yogini
Earlier, Santner won the toss, elected to field, and watched Indian openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma flourish in the PowerPlay. The two amassed 92 runs in the first six overs even as Santner switched his bowlers around. Initially, Matt Henry kept it tight and Samson remained watchful as four dot balls ensued.
However, a six over long-on in the first over, opened the floodgates. Seeing his partner switch gears, Abhishek warmed up with fours off Jacob Duffy on either side while the New Zealand seamers struggled with a bout of wides.
Abhishek raced to his fifty, dismantling Henry with two sixes, and wading into Duffy. The southpaw fell to Rachin but the openers had stitched 98 runs together in 7.1 overs.
Top bowlers for India
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The Hindu
Soon Kishan warmed up with a four off James Neesham, and hoisted Santner into the stands. Meanwhile, Samson etched his 50, and with celebratory gusto pummelled Lockie Ferguson twice into the skies. Kishan too got into the gravity defying act as the ball sailed high. Rachin was clattered around and after Kishan got to his fifty, against the run of play, New Zealand inflicted three wounds.
Neesham scalped Samson (89), Kishan (54) and Suryakumar (nought) in the same over, as the batters found alert fielders. India 204 for four in 16 overs, and on the hunt for quick runs. A quest Hardik tried to fulfil, before Dube hammered Neesham for 24 in the last over.
And at the break, India nursed its dreams about retaining the championship, which it did in style.
SCOREBOARD
INDIA
Sanju Samson c (sub) McConchie b Neesham 89 (46b, 5×4, 8×6), Abhishek Sharma c Seifert b Rachin 52 (21b, 6×4, 3×6), Ishan Kishan c Chapman b Neesham 54 (25b, 4×4, 4×6), Hardik Pandya c Santner b Henry 18 (13b, 1×4, 1×6), Suryakumar Yadav c Rachin b Neesham 0 (1b), Tilak Varma (not out) 8 (6b), Shivam Dube (not out) 26 (8b, 3×4, 2×6); Extras (w-8): 8; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 255.
FALL OF WICKETS
1-98 (Abhishek, 7.1 overs), 2-203 (Samson, 15.1), 3-204 (Kishan, 15.5), 4-204 (Suryakumar, 15.6), 5-226 (Hardik, 18.2).
NEW ZEALAND BOWLING
Henry 4-0-49-1, Phillips 1-0-5-0, Duffy 3-0-42-0, Ferguson 2-0-48-0, Santner 4-0-33-0, Rachin 2-0-32-1, Neesham 4-0-46-3.
NEW ZEALAND
Tim Seifert c Kishan b Varun 52 (26b, 2×4, 5×6), Finn Allen c Tilak b Axar 9 (7b, 1×4), Rachin Ravindra c Kishan b Bumrah 1 (2b), Glenn Phillips b Axar 5 (5b, 1×4), Mark Chapman b Hardik 3 (8b), Daryl Mitchell c Kishan b Axar 17 (11b, 2×6), Mitchell Santner b Bumrah 43 (35b, 3×4, 2×6), James Neesham b Bumrah 8 (7b, 1×4), Matt Henry b Bumrah 0 (1b), Lockie Ferguson (not out) 6 (7b), Jacob Duffy c Tilak b Abhishek 3 (5b); Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-7): 12; Total (in 19 overs): 159.
FALL OF WICKETS
1-31 (Allen, 2.4), 2-32 (Rachin, 3.1), 3-47 (Phillips, 4.5), 4-70 (Chapman, 7.4), 5-72 (Seifert, 8.1), 6-124 (Mitchell, 12.5), 7-141 (Neesham, 15.3), 8-141 (Henry, 15.4), 9-152 (Santner, 17.3).
INDIA BOWLING
Arshdeep 4-0-32-0, Hardik 4-0-36-1, Axar 3-0-27-3, Bumrah 4-0-15-4, Varun 3-0-39-1, Abhishek 1-0-5-1.
Toss: New Zealand.
Player-of-the-Match: Bumrah. Player-of-the-Tournament: Samson.
India won by 96 runs to retain the World Cup.
