India vs New Zealand, ICC MT20 WC, 2026 Mar 8 Full score card

OUT! CAUGHT! It is all over. Abhishek bowls it on a length outside off at 70.3 kph. Slower through the air, the ball grips and turns. Duffy goes for a flat-batted hit down the ground but mistimes it. Tilak Varma settles under it near the ropes and completes a fine catch. He lobs the ball up in the air, sensing he might step onto the ropes, but he is well inside the field and calmly takes it again. A comprehensive win for the Men in Blue as Eoin Morgan on air mentions that this is India's biggest win in a T20 World Cup match. The celebrations start in the Indian dugout and the noise is absolutely deafening at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The ghosts of 2023 have been exorcised in 2026 as INDIA WIN THE T20 WORLD CUP for the third time and defend their crown in a commanding fashion. India win by 96 runs.

Taken at long on by Tilak Varma. The celebrations have begun in the Indian camp. And there comes the confirmation.

Slower through the air, full and outside off, Ferguson carves it to the left of mid off for a single.

A touch short, on off, Jacob flat bats it over the bowler. Long on cuts it off to his left. One taken.

Dropped short, on top of off. Lockie Ferguson rocks back and tries to pull, but miscues it over mid on for a single.

Duffy advances and slaps this length ball to deep extra cover for a single.

Short on off, Lockie shimmies down the track and mistimes the heave to long on for a single.

Abhishek Sharma has been tossed the ball now.

Deceived! Pace-off delivery, full and just outside the off stump line. Jacob Duffy swings for the hills, only to miss. A superb spell from Jasprit Bumrah as he ends with figures of 4-0-15-4.

Once again, this is full and slow, on off. Lockie turns it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Full toss on leg, whipped to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Jacob Duffy is the last man in.

OUT! BOWLED! Bumrah has his fourth wicket of the finale. He rolls his fingers on the leather and takes pace off, executing the yorker. Lands the ball right at the base of the middle pole as Mitchell Santner tries to slog it over the leg side. He swings his bat months early before the ball arrives and misses. The ball dips below his bat and makes an absolute mess of the stumps.

Short and nipping away from middle. Santner stands tall and eases it straight to the backward point fielder.

That dipping slower one, just outside off, on a fuller length. Santner clears the front leg and has a swing across the line, but fails to connect.

A toe-crushing yorker, tailing in from middle. Mitchell Santner flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Slower short ball, far outside off. Santner lets it be as it breaches the tramline.

FOUR! In the gap! Singh misfires another full toss, on the pads. Santner backs away and heaves it to the leg side, bisecting the long on and deep mid-wicket fielders for a boundary. 150 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND!

Slips in a full toss, on off, Ferguson hits it on the bounce to long off for a run.

From around the stumps now. Full and on middle, Lockie drives it straight to the cover fielder.

Seeing Santner shuffle outside leg, Arshdeep fires the yorker at the toes of the batter to cramp him for space. The Kiwi skipper carves it through mid off for a run.

WIDE! Goes for the slower one, but way down the leg side on a fuller length. Santner swings his bat before the ball dips and misses to connect. Wided.

A full toss that tails in from middle to leg. Santner drills it down to long on and denies the single.

Full toss, on off, Mitchell Santner forces it to long off for one more.

No hat-trick for Bumrah! In the blockhole, on middle, Lockie Ferguson manages to jam it out towards short third for one.

Lockie Ferguson walks in at number 10. Ravi Shastri on air mentions that no Indian bowler has picked up a hat trick in a T20 World Cup. Can Bumrah be the first?

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Jasprit Bumrah is on a hat-trick now! This is another excellent slower yorker, dipping in, too good for any batter, let it be a tail-ender. Matt Henry backs away to play at it, but plays all over it, and the ball goes through to rattle the stumps once more.

Wicket number 2 for Jasprit Bumrah. Matt Henry is the new batter in at number 9.

OUT! CASTLED! Boom Boom strikes now. A pinpoint yorker, on middle, takes pace off as well. James Neesham clears his front leg to go big across the line but goes through the shot very early. He misses it completely as the ball goes through and hits the base of the middle stump.

Full toss, on leg, Mitchell Santner heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Good length and on off, Mitchell Santner pushes it to extra cover.

WIDE! Slower bouncer, on middle, but a bit too high. Mitchell Santner ducks under it. Another wide.

Jasprit Bumrah (2-0-9-1) returns to the attack.

Another fine yorker, on middle, moves in, James Neesham jams it back to the bowler.

A low full toss, on leg, James Neesham clips it away wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Gets the yorker right, on middle, tailing in, James Neesham looks to dig it out but misses and gets hit on his toes.

WIDE! Short but way outside off this time, James Neesham throws his bat but fails to reach it. Called a wide again.

WIDE! Pitched up but down the leg side, James Neesham shuffles across to scoop but misses. Wided.

Full toss, on middle and leg, Mitchell Santner lofts it to long on for a single.

A mix-up but no harm done! Fuller and on middle, angling in, Mitchell Santner looks to loft it but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls towards backward point. Santner sets off for the run but is sent back. The fielder misses his shy at the batter's end, with Santner putting in a desperate dive to save himself.

Clever bowling! Arshdeep Singh sees the batter back away, bangs this into the pitch, outside off, takes pace off as well. Mitchell Santner is too far away to reach out for the ball.

DRINKS BREAK! It has turned out to be a rather one-sided final. After the way England pushed India in the semifinal, we were hoping for a similar fight from the Kiwis tonight. But New Zealand have struggled to keep up with the required rate and have lost wickets regularly throughout the chase. While they do look to be going down here, they will want to do so with a fight. Arshdeep Singh returns to the attack. 2-0-18-0 so far for Arshdeep.

Right in the blockhole, on leg, Mitchell Santner tucks it away through mid-wicket for one more. 122 needed in 36 balls.

Short of a length and on middle, James Neesham pulls it to deep square leg for one.

Fuller and around leg, Mitchell Santner flicks it away to deep backward square leg for another run.

Hard length and on middle, James Neesham heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

WIDE! Fuller but way outside off, James Neesham leaves it alone. Wided.

Back of a length and on leg, Mitchell Santner pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

A shout for LBW, but turned down! Hardik Pandya bowls a slower, dipping yorker, on middle and leg. Mitchell Santner tries to slog it away but the ball sneaks under his bat to hit his back toe. Pandya looks confident and convinces SKY to take the review. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved, but Ball Tracking shows it is pitching outside leg. The on-field call of Not Out stands.

FOUR! Put away! Floated, full and on leg, James Neesham goes down and swipes it away to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

The new batter is...James Neesham.

OUT! TAKEN! Axar Patel gets his third now. He bowls a juicy full toss, on middle. Daryl Mitchell tries to slog it away but gets it high on the bat. He loses his shape and mistimes the shot straight to deep mid-wicket, where Ishan Kishan takes his third catch of the game. The easiest one of the three. The Kiwis are six down now.

Full and outside off, Daryl Mitchell reaches out in front for the sweep but is beaten.

Short and on leg, Mitchell Santner nudges it through mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Misfield now! Flatter, full and outside off, Mitchell Santner drills it away towards point, where Hardik Pandya gets low but lets it through his legs for a boundary. The 50-run partnership comes up between Santner and Daryl Mitchell.

DROPPED! Hardik Pandya drops a sitter here! Floated, full and outisde off, Mitchell Santner throws his bat at it. He ends up slicing it in the air towards point, where Hardik Pandya moves to his right but spills it out.

Quicker on middle, on a length, Santner punches it through cover for a run.

SIX! Hardik watches that as a bystander. A real slot ball again, on off. Mitchell Santner clears the front leg, crouches low and pumps it behind long on for a huge six. Geez, that is a long hit indeed.

SIX! High and handsome! Varun pushes it full and on the stumps, from around the wicket. Mitchell Santner takes a couple of babysteps ahead and tonks it cleanly over the long off fence.

Around off, on a length, crunched through point for a single.

Full again, around off. Santner gets down to slog sweep against the spin but gets a leading edge wide of short third for a single.

Full, googly that spins back in from off. Daryl heaves it off the inner half to deep square leg for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy comes back into the attack now.

Full and wide outside off at 134.3 kph. Mitchell lunges forward, reaches for it and throws his hands at the drive, but gets it off the toe end towards deep backward point for a single. And now Arshdeep and Mitchell share a handshake as the two come together at the non-striker’s end.

No, no, no! You don't want to see this in a cricket ground. The emotions got the better of Arshdeep Singh here, and Daryl Mitchell is absolutely not happy with it. Suryakumar Yadav goes up to him to apologise straightaway.

It's heating up in the middle! A low full toss outside off by Arshdeep. Daryl Mitchell has already shuffled across again and tries to heave to the leg side, but gets it off the inner half. Arshdeep Singh collects the ball on his follow-through and throws it back at the batter in frustration. It strikes Mitchell on the pads, and he immediately throws his arms up in protest as Singh turns back to his bowling mark. That was absolutely needless from Arshdeep.

A bit too full, outside off, Daryl toe ends his drive to the cover fielder.

WIDE! Far beyond the cut strip as Daryl shuffles across off to thrash that away, but misses to connect. Wide called.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Into the slot, on leg. Daryl Mitchell clears the front leg and sends it sailing 89 meters behind deep mid-wicket for a six. 100 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND!

SIX! Just goes over! It is that man again, Ishan Kishan, with a good effort. But it goes in vain this time. Fuller length around off. Mitchell shuffles across and heaves it across the line, getting enough on it to find Kishan at deep square leg. He takes the catch, but ends up stepping on the boundary ropes while doing so.

Cannons onto the pads, on a fuller length, Santner pushes it through mid on for a single.

Arshdeep Singh is back on. He gave away just 3 runs in his first over.

Off cutter, into the pitch, around middle. Mitchell Santner punches it straight down the ground for a single as long off cuts it off. At the halfway mark, New Zealand are crawling at 88/5.

Pitched outside leg, full in length, Santner misses the flick shot and wears the ball on his front pad. The Kiwi skipper admonishes himself for not putting that away.

Slower one, outside off, on a length, Daryl Mitchell slashes it to the right of deep point for a single.

Nagging length, around off, Santner punches it on the up through mid off for a single.

Length ball, slanting into the batter, Santner tucks it in the vast mid-wicket space for a couple.

Dug in short, over middle. Mitchell Santner ducks under it.

Good effort in the deep by Tilak. Touch short, around middle, turning back in. Santner rocks back and punches it past the left of short extra cover. Tilak at long off runs to his right and slides near the ropes to keep the ball in play. Excellent running between the wickets by the batters as they pick up three runs. The replay shows that Varma has saved a run for his team.

FOUR! Edgy! Length delivery around the fifth stump, 92 kph. Santner rocks back, opens the bat face and punches it past the left of backward point for a boundary.

Length ball, on off, sliding in, Santner punches it to cover.

FOUR BYES! Goodness me, how has that missed the stumps? A googly on a length outside off. It sneaks past the outside edge and just sails over the top of the bails, outfoxing Samson as well and races behind to the fence.

Full and outside off. Santner gets on the front foot, plays with the spin, stays leg side of the ball, opens the face of the bat and guides it towards short third.

New Zealand lose half their side now and India already have one hand on the trophy. Skipper Mitchell Santner comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT IN THE DEEP! It is just like a hammer blow on the Kiwis. A spectacular catch from Ishan Kishan yet again. Seifert miscues the pull on this short ball towards the deep mid-wicket region. Kishan moves to his right at deep mid-wicket to take it. Sensing he might lose his balance, he lobs the ball up momentarily but keeps himself inside the field of play and safely completes the catch. Tim Seifert departs after a breezy knock, and New Zealand are 72/5 now.

Bangs it in short and keeps it out of the hitting arc, near the tramline. Tim is made to reach out and he bunts it towards cover for a single.

Over off, pace taken off, on a short of a length. Mitchell hops deep in the crease and turns it in front of deep mid-wicket for a single to get off the mark.

And the climb gets steeper and steeper for the Kiwis from here. They need 186 more runs in 74 balls. Daryl Mitchell walks in at number 6.

OUT! CHOPPED ON! Mark Chapman drops his head in disappointment. Pushed across the left-hander, on a good length, Chapman reaches out to thrash it through the off side, but the ball catches the inside edge and deflects back onto the stumps. After an expensive first over, Hardik has struck back in his second over. New Zealand are now 70/4, chasing 256.

Hardik rolls his fingers over the ball, on a short of a good length. Mark does not pick the change of pace and goes through the pull early. Ends up connecting with fresh air.

Into the deck, on off, Tim stands tall on his toes and whips it to wide long on for one.

Short and wide on off, this is slapped to deep cover for a single.

Another expensive start for Varun Chakaravarthy. 16 runs off his first over. Hardik Pandya (1-0-21-0) is brought back on, replacing Jasprit Bumrah.

SIX! The punches keep coming from Tim Seifert. He gets to his FIFTY in style. Varun Chakaravarthy offers a bit of flight, full and on off. Seifert just holds his shape and swings through the line to park it behind long on for a biggie. Back-to-back fifties for Seifert.

Had to hurry! Around off, on a length, Tim whips it wide of deep mid-wicket and wants to come back for the second run. Ishan Kishan swoops in and gets rid of the ball quickly. Fires it on the bounce at the bowling end, where Varun Chakaravarthy fails to gather it and Chapman gets home with a dive. A clean pick-up could have been interesting.

SIX! Tim Seifert makes it look so easy! This is flighted up slightly, on a length, outside off. Seifert stays leg side of the ball and does not try to overhit this one. A clean swing of the arms and he pumps it over long on for a six.

A bit fuller, drifting in at the pads. Chapman nudges it through mid-wicket and turns the strike over.

From around the wicket for the left-hander, short and outside off, Chapman punches it off the back foot back towards the bowler.

Floats it up first up, full and on off. Tim Seifert presses forward and drives it down to long on for a single.

DRINKS BREAK. India hold all the aces at the moment as New Zealand have been pushed for the reconstruction job with 52/3 on the board. Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel have been absolutely instrumental so far, sharing all three wickets among them, and conceding just 27 runs from their four overs. New Zealand are under pressure, as they not only have to keep up with the asking rate, but also ensure they don't slide down further by losing more men. Varun Chakaravarthy is brought right after the restrictions are lifted. He has been very expensive in his last few matches, and replaces Axar Patel.

Off-cutter, on a length, on middle. Tim is slightly early into the shot and chips it down to long on for a run. Another tidy over from Bumrah. At the end of the Powerplay, New Zealand are 52/3 in pursuit of 256.

Dug in short, on off. Tim Seifert gets on his toes and drags the pull in front of square, wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Seifert will feel that he missed out. A dipping full toss, at thigh height, on off. Seifert looks to go across the line but ends up squeezing out an inside edge onto the pads and the ball goes nowhere.

Not in control but Chapman gets away with it! Bumrah hits the hard length, over middle. Chapman charges down the track and has a swipe across the line. The ball kicks up a bit to catch the top edge and it flies down to deep third. Tilak Varma runs in off the ropes and puts in the dive, but the ball does not carry. It deflects away from his body for a single.

Nails the yorker, on middle. Mark hurriedly gets his bat down and keeps it out.

Angled in, on a good length, on off and middle. Tim checks his drive as he plays it to long on for a single.

Keeps the stumps in play, on a length, Mark pushes it back to Axar. End of another successful over from Patel.

New Zealand are under serious pressure now. India couldn't have asked for a better start. Mark Chapman makes his way to the middle, at number 5.

OUT! TIMBER! The leg stump goes for a toss. Wickets off successive overs for Axar Patel. Under-cutter by Patel, full and sliding on with the arm, on middle and leg. Glenn Phillips stays rooted to the crease and swings hard at it to force it away. The ball keeps coming into him and skids through to go past the inside edge before uprooting the leg pole. New Zealand are 3 down for 47, chasing 256.

This skids through and it is a bit fuller at the sticks. GP plays it back to Axar.

FOUR! Nicely done! Pushed through by Axar, on a nagging length, on middle. Glenn Phillips picks up the length early and hits it over the man at mid on for a boundary.

Flatter and fuller, outside off, Tim gets the front leg out of the way again and slams it towards long off for a single.

SIX! That has gone back many a mile! Axar drops it a bit too short, on middle. Seifert rocks back, clears the front leg and pummels it over wide long on for a biggie.

Overpitched and on off, Glenn Phillips drills it towards extra cover.

Low full toss, tailing back in on the pads. Seifert clips it through square leg for a single.

Short of a length and outside off, Tim Seifert hops up to cut it away but ends up chopping it into the pitch, behind to the keeper.

Pace off, full and outside off, Tim Seifert reaches out and slices it over extra cover for a brace.

Fuller and on off, Glenn Phillips drives it towards mid off for one.

Immediate impact from Jasprit Bumrah. Glenn Phillips makes his way out to the centre.

OUT! CAUGHT! Jasprit Bumrah once again strikes first ball. He did it in the semis and now in the final as well. Starts with a slower one, full and on leg, Rachin Ravindra looks to flick it away but goes through the shot early. Gets it from the toe-end of the bat as the ball flies in the air towards deep square leg, where Ishan Kishan runs forward and dives to take a superb catch, inches above the ground. The ball almost pops out of his grasp, but he does well to keep hold of it, even as his cap briefly blocks his vision while he tumbles to the ground. New Zealand are 32/2, chasing 256 runs.

A double change as Jasprit Bumrah has been called into the attack. He replaces Hardik Pandya.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Tim Seifert looks to push it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads.

Flatter, full and on leg, Rachin Ravindra swipes it to the left of deep square leg for a run.

New Zealand suffer a big blow. In walks Rachin Ravindra at number 3. Just 88 runs in 6 innings against India in T20Is for Rachin.

OUT! TAKEN! Axar Patel draws first blood. He bowls this short again, on middle, angling in. Finn Allen tries to move back and pull it but does not get enough room to free his arms. He ends up hitting it much straighter and down the throat of long on, where Tilak Varma takes an easy catch ahead of the ropes. The centurion from the last game walks back early here. New Zealand are 31/1, chasing 256.

FOUR! Nice shot! Quicker one, shortish and on off. Finn Allen moves back and swats it down the ground, beating long on to his left for a boundary.

Short again and on middle, angling in, Tim Seifert stays back and nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.

Dragged back and on middle, Finn Allen rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! 21 runs off the over! Goes back to his fuller length and on off. Tim Seifert gets underneath it and blasts it over the bowler's head for four more runs.

FOUR! Gets it through! Back of a length and around off. Tim Seifert hangs back and punches it between extra cover and mid off for a boundary now.

Good length and on off, Tim Seifert heaves it off the inner half of the bat towards mid-wicket.

SIX! Innovative and effective! Pitches it up and just on off. Tim Seifert moves across early, gets into position and nails the scoop this time over the fine leg fence for another biggie.

SIX! BANG! First one of the chase! Fuller in length and on middle. Tim Seifert clears his front leg out and tonks it over the long on fence for a biggie.

Hardik Pandya lands this back of a length and on middle, Finn Allen shuffles across and scoops it wide of deep fine leg for a single.

It will be Hardik Pandya to operate from the other end. Shivam Dube has left the field to receive treatment on his right hand, which he injured while attempting the catch. Rinku Singh is on the park as the substitute.

Low full toss, on off, Finn Allen bunts it out to mid off for one.

DROPPED! A big chance goes begging! Arshdeep Singh sticks to the fuller length, on off, moving away, takes pace off as well. Finn Allen looks to loft it away but his bat turns in his hands and he mistimes it high in the air. Shivam Dube backpedals at mid off, settles under it and tries to reverse cup it, but the ball bursts through his hands and drops to the ground. Two taken. Allen gets an early life here. Ian Bishop informs on air that this is the 15th dropped catch from India in this World Cup, the most by any team.

Simon Doull spots Jasprit Bumrah limbering up. Will he bowl from the other end?

Full again and on middle, shapes in a touch, Finn Allen drills it towards mid on. 4 balls and just 1 run so far.

Pitched up and on middle, swinging in sharply, Tim Seifert looks to flick but misses as the ball goes off his pads towards short fine. A leg bye taken. New Zealand are underway with extras.

Swing and a miss! Back of a length and on off, angling across the right-hander. Tim Seifert has a big heave across the line but fails to connect.

A dot to start! Arshdeep Singh serves this full and on off, shaping in, Tim Seifert bunts it out towards mid off.

FOUR! Dube gets it through! 24 runs off the final over. India end up with 255 on the board. James Neesham bangs it into the surface and takes pace off. Dube hops and is made to reach out. He looks to force it away on the off side but does not quite get hold of it, but still manages to split the two fielders at extra cover and mid off and pick up a boundary.

Missed out! Neesham serves it too straight, on a length, on the pads with fine leg inside the circle. Dube swings at it but does not connect. The ball clips the pads and goes towards backward square leg, but Dube wants to be on strike for the final ball, and he sends Tilak back.

FOUR! All the good work done by Neesham earlier is getting undone here. He lands this short and down the leg side, begging to be put away. Dube just helps it on its way over short fine for a boundary.

SIX MORE! That's effortless! James Neesham sticks to his fuller length and just outside off. Shivam Dube just extends his arms and launches it cleanly over the wide long off fence for half a dozen more.

SIX! 10 off the first 2 balls! Pitched up and just around off. Shivam Dube uses his long levers to fetch it and smokes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. Neesham under pressure now.

FOUR! Just out of reach! Fuller one and on off, Shivam Dube looks to loft it over mid off but does not get it from the middle of the bat. It goes high in the air and Mitchell Santner turns around to go after it. He tries to grab it with his outstretched left hand but fails to reach it. The ball bounces off the turf and catches him above the right eye before dribbling towards the fence for a boundary.

28 runs and 4 wickets in the last 4 overs. James Neesham to close out the innings. How much can India end with?

Drops safely! Fuller delivery, on middle, rolls his fingers to take pace off. Tilak Varma looks to loft it with a straight bat but mistimes it. It goes in the air but falls between deep mid-wicket and long on. Two taken.

Short again and outside off, Shivam Dube cuts it away to deep point for one.

Slower bumper, outside off. Tilak Varma reaches out but only manages to force it to extra cover for just a run.

Back of a length and on off, Shivam Dube pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Shivam Dube walks in next. Last 20 balls, 23 runs and 4 wickets.

OUT! TAKEN! Matt Henry responds well here. He bangs this into the pitch, on off, takes pace off, but gets some extra bounce as well. Hardik Pandya tries to go straight and tries to flat-bat it down the ground but only manages to get a top edge. The ball flies high in the air towards mid off, where Mitchell Santner settles under it and takes a good catch.

SIX! BOOM! Change of bats has worked for Hardik Pandya. A full toss, on middle and leg. Pandya heaves hard across the line. Gets it from the inner half of the bat, but gets enough to clear the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Just 1 boundary for India in the last 3 overs. This has been excellent by the Kiwis so far in this death phase. Matt Henry returns to the attack. 3-0-38-0 so far for the right-arm quick. A quick change of bat for Hardik.

Another short ball, outside off, Hardik Pandya reaches out and flat-bats it down to long off for one more.

FOUR! A superb effort in the deep, but it goes in vain! Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, slower again. Hardik Pandya pulls it but mistimes it a bit wide of deep mid-wicket. Glenn Phillips flings himself to his left, tries to grab it with his outstretched left hand, but the ball just evades him for a one-bounce four. If Phillips did not get to it, no one would have!

Still no timing! Fuller and around off, Hardik Pandya looks to slog it a bit too hard. Loses his shape and gets an inside edge towards the vacant mid-wicket region. He calls for two and gets it comfortably in the end.

Short of a length and outside off, keeping it away from the batter. Tilak Varma swats it down to long off for just a run.

Back of a length and on off, gives no pace at all, Hardik Pandya heaves it with not much timing to deep mid-wicket for a single.

No hat-trick! Fuller and on off, Hardik Pandya drives it straight to mid off.

A sudden drought in the middle of the storm. New Zealand have pulled things back nicely since the last couple of overs. Just 8/3 in the last 2 overs for India. James Neesham to continue and he is on a Hat Trick.

Hard length and outside off, Hardik Pandya stabs it out through cover-point for one more.

Fuller one and on middle and leg, Tilak Varma hoicks it towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Uppish but safe! A pacy bouncer, on middle. Tilak Varma shuffles across to hook but gets a top edge over the keeper's head. Matt Henry from short fine chases after it and puts in a slide to make a fine stop, saving a couple of runs.

Short of a length and on middle, takes pace off, Hardik Pandya pulls it to deep mid-wicket for another run.

CHANCE? Oh, yes. A sharp chance but Finn Allen has put it down. Duffy slams it on a hard length, outside off. Tilak's eyes light up as he sees the width on offer. Cuts it hard and picks the bones out of it but fails to hit it wide enough of Allen at backward point. Finn gets low and tries to take the catch around his left ankle but fails to cling on. It goes behind for a single. Allen grimaces in pain but he is staying on.

Pace taken off, on a good length, outside off. Pandya punches it on the up in front of square on the off side. The batters think about the second, but Glenn Phillips gets around to his left and keeps it to a single.

And suddenly, there is a flurry of wickets for New Zealand. Tilak Varma comes in next, at number 6. Jacob Duffy (2-0-35-0) is back on.

OUT! CAUGHT! India lose their captain for a golden duck and it is three wickets in the over for James Neesham. He bangs this into the pitch, just around off. Suryakumar Yadav looks to target his favourite area towards long leg. He gets low and scoops it but does not get hold of it. Rachin Ravindra moves to his right and takes a superb sliding catch. The crowd has gone silent and India are 204/4 now.

A good mini comeback by New Zealand in this over through Neesham's double strike. 203/1 becomes 204/3 for India. In walks the Indian captain, Suryakumar Yadav, at number 5.

OUT! TAKEN! Both set batters dismissed in the same over, and New Zealand have a sniff. James Neesham is thrilled to bits. Neesham switches to around the wicket and bowls it very full, on middle. Kishan hangs low to go down the ground. He takes it on the full and goes through with the shot. One hand comes off the bat handle, and he gets it only as far as long on. Mark Chapman moves to his right at long on and does the rest.

On a short of a good length, outside off, Pandya hops and cuts it to deep cover for a single.

On a hard length, on off, Hardik rises with the bounce and angles it to backward point.

Into the wicket, on off, Hardik taps it off the back foot to mid off.

The 105-run partnership comes to an end for the second wicket. Oh, interesting! Hardik Pandya has been promoted to number 4.

OUT! CAUGHT! James Neesham strikes on his return to the attack. Not the best of balls, but Neesham will take it. A high-full toss, around the waist, on off. Samson waits back to smash it down the ground but does not quite manage to get his hands through the ball in a fashion he would have liked. Hits it flat towards long on, where the sub fielder, Cole McConchie, runs across to his left and stays side on to complete the catch whilst ensuring he stays away from the boundary cushions. Samson has a look at the umpires but they are happy with the height. End of a top knock from Sanju.

James Neesham replaces Rachin Ravindra. He went for 12 runs off his first over.

FOUR! The 200 is up for India! Santner spears it in, full, almost in the blockhole, on middle. Kishan is deep in the crease and manages to get the leverage to go back over the bowler's head for a four.

Full and on off, knocked to long off for a single by Sanju.

FIFTY FOR KISHAN! India's pocket rocket has stood up on the big night of the final with a 23-ball half-century. Santner fires it in, full and on middle, Kishan wrists it off the front foot through mid-wicket for a run. He raises his bat to acknowledge the applause of the crowd. The 100-run stand also comes up between this pair.

Santner switches to over the wicket and pushes it through, short and outside off. Ishan attempts the switch hit but misses. Kishan is unhappy that the wide is not called, but he had moved across his stumps.

SIX! Just over! Across off, fuller in length. Kishan collapses his back knee and goes under the ball. He hits it against the angle, and even though the bat turns in his hand, he manages to clear the leaping deep mid-wicket fielder.

Near the tramline, on the shorter side. Kishan is made to reach out. The ball grazes the toe end of the blade before dribbling to short third.

DRINKS BREAK. It has been an absolute mayhem at the Narendra Modi Stadium by the Indian batters. These two have put on 93 runs together and Samson is inching closer to his century as well. Ishan Kishan has come out with an aggressive intent as he strikes at 226.32 right now. New Zealand are under tremendous pressure as they not only need to do damage control but also pick wickets to slow things down. India, if they go at this pace, even 270-plus is possible, with 9 wickets in hand. Here comes Mitchell Santner to bowl after the break, taking matters into his own hands.

SIX! A hat-trick of sixes! Just 2 runs off the first 3 balls, but the over ends up going for 20. Flighted delivery, on a good length, outside off. Samson gets the width to free his arms, and he stays still at the point of impact. Opens up the front hip and slams it inside out over extra cover for the third six in a row.

SIX MORE! Outta here! Rachin Ravindra pulls his length back, on middle. This is fractionally short but enough for Samson to climb into it. He goes deep in the crease in a flash and pulls it way over deep mid-wicket for his 7th biggie.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Rachin errs in length as he dishes it out right in the slot. This is on middle and leg. Samson puts his head down, holds his shape and smokes it towards the sight screen for a six.

Flatter and shorter, outside off, this is heaved away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Flighted delivery, keeps it wide on off, on a length. Sanju makes room to go inside out, but is slightly early into the shot. Chips it down to long off for a run.

Good stop! Darted in from around the wicket, on a length, on middle and leg. Samson knocks it down the strip. Rachin gets across and dives to his right to prevent the single.

Rachin Ravindra (1-0-12-1) is brought back into the attack. He replaces Lockie Ferguson. A lengthy discussion between him and Santner before he is ready to bowl.

Good comeback from Henry after being hit for a six earlier in the over. Gets the yorker in, right in the blockhole. Samson gets his bat down and jams it out back past the bowler for one.

Not in control but safe! Henry digs it in short and it skids through, outside off. Kishan backs away and flays at it. Ends up giving himself too much room. Spoons it aerially, but the ball drops in front of the rushing deep cover fielder. Just a single.

Slanting into the pads, full in length. Samson just checks his shot as he whips it in front of deep mid-wicket. They cross.

Back to pace on, low full toss, on middle and leg. Kishan gets low and smears it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

SIX! Stand and deliver! Henry takes pace off and bowls it at 122.9 kph. Bangs it into the surface, but this comes at waist height, outside off. Kishan waits for the ball to arrive and pummels it over wide long on for a six.

Pushes it across the left-hander, on a good length. Kishan reaches out to force it away. Gets it right off the toe end of the blade towards mid off.

Will Mitchell Santner bowl himself out here? The answer is no. Matt Henry is back. He has gone for 28 runs in his 2 overs.

FOUR! Up and over! Lockie Ferguson hits the length hard and on off. Sanju Samson transfers his weight slightly on the back foot and muscles it over the mid off fielder for a boundary now. Ferguson has been taken for 24 runs in each of his opening two overs.

Back of a length and on off, Ishan Kishan swats it towards wide long on for one.

SIX! The runs just keep on flowing here! Pitched up and on middle and off. Ishan Kishan manages to get right underneath it and smacks it flat and over the long on fence for the third six of the over.

From around the wicket now. The yorker is nailed, on middle and leg. Sanju digs it out to wide long on for a single. 150 UP FOR INDIA! In just 11.3 overs.

SIX! Back-to-back biggies! Lockie Ferguson overcorrects his length and goes full, on middle, in the slot as well. Sanju Samson gets his front foot out and tonks it over the bowler's head for half a dozen more. This also brings up the 50-run partnership between Samson and Kishan.

SIX! SMOKED! Lockie Ferguson bangs this into the pitch, on middle, not short enough to trouble the batter. Sanju Samson picks up the length early and hammers it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

FIFTY FOR SAMSON! Another magnificent knock from him, and this is his third consecutive fifty in this tournament. Also, according to Natalie Germanos on air, Samson becomes the third player to score half-centuries in a T20 World Cup semi-final and a final. This is a quicker one, full and on leg, Sanju Samson drills it to long on for one more.

Drops it short and around off, Sanju Samson punches it wide of extra cover, where Rachin Ravindra dives to his right to make a clean stop this time.

Fires in a yorker, on middle, Ishan Kishan jams it down towards long on for one.

SIX! Into the stands! Tossed up, full and on middle and leg. Ishan Kishan clears his front leg, gets low and nails the slog sweep over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Flatter, full and on off, Sanju Samson drives it towards extra cover, where Rachin Ravindra only makes a half-stop and allows a run.

Drags his length back, on middle, Ishan Kishan heaves it towards wide long on for a single.

Nails the wide yorker this time, Sanju Samson tries to steer it away again, but this time, he does not make any contact.

Hits the length hard, on off, Ishan Kishan stabs it out in front of short cover for a run.

FOUR! Sloppy fielding! A slower one, back of a length and outside off. Ishan Kishan cuts it away hard and wide of point. Rachin Ravindra dives to his left but lets it through for a boundary.

On a length and on off, Sanju Samson works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.

FOUR! Incredible shot! Nothing wrong with the ball, it is a yorker, on off. Sanju Samson waits for it, opens the face of the bat late and guides it past short third for a boundary.

In the air...SAFE! Fuller one and just outside off. Sanju Samson backs away to go over covers but slices it. It goes in the air but lands out of the reach of the backtracking point fielder. Two taken.

Just one over for Rachin Ravindra then. He has been replaced by James Neesham.

A couple of quiet overs from Santner! Flighted, full and on off, Sanju Samson drills it to long off for one more.

A rare dot ball! Pushed through quicker, short and on off, angling in. Sanju Samson stays back and stabs it to short cover.

A low full toss, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan clips it away to deep mid-wicket for one.

Slows it up, shortish and on off, Sanju Samson pats it towards long off for another run.

Flatter, short and outside off, Ishan Kishan hangs back and punches it to the left of sweeper cover for a run.

Tossed up, full and on off, Sanju Samson eases it down to long off for a single. Nelson on the board now.

FOUR! Finds the gap again! A quicker one, short and outside off, Ishan plays off the back foot, and threads it between short third and backward point for a boundary. So 12 runs and a wicket from Rachin's first over.

FOUR! Tremendous timing! Drag-downer, spinning in from middle to leg. Ishan hangs deep inside the crease and knocks it through the mid on and mid-wicket gap for a boundary.

Very full, wide on off. Ishan reaches out to force it away but ends up bunting it down on the off side.

On a length, pushed a bit wide on off. Kishan extends his hands and slices it wide of sweeper cover. It is Glenn Phillips in the deep, who gets across quickly and slides to cut it off. Another couple for Ishan.

Superb stop! Tossed up, full and on off. Kishan drills it all along the ground towards long on. Daryl Mitchell sprints and tumbles to his right to prevent the boundary. Two runs taken.

The Kiwis break the massive 98-run opening stand. In walks Ishan Kishan at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND​​! Rachin Ravindra continues to have a dream run with the ball as he breaks this dangerous opening partnership. Rachin goes full and wide outside off. Abhishek reaches out for it as he looks to carve it behind square on the off side. He gets a faint outside edge instead, and Seifert takes a sharp catch behind the stumps. Had Abhishek left that, it would have been a wide. But he goes after providing a solid platform for his side.

Spin from both ends? Yes, Rachin Ravindra comes into the attack now.

Pushed wide across the batter, on a length. Sharma gets on the back foot and cuts it to deep backward point for a single. A quiet over as just 6 runs come from it.

In-angler on a length, on middle, Sanju goes across and tucks it through mid on for a single.

FOUR! Nicely done! Bowled from a bit wide of the crease, short and on top of off. Samson stays leg side of the ball, and his fast hands come into play. Cuts it to the right of the backward point fielder for a boundary.

Drifting in on a length, this is punched to cover.

Nicely floated up, full and around off. Sanju tries to smash that through cover, but the ball dips, spins and beats the outside edge.

Pushed fuller, on off, Sanju gently eases it to the mid off fielder.

DRINKS! India saved their best for this final. A dominating display in the Powerplay and New Zealand look out of answers here, desperately needing this break. The first 2 overs went for just 12 runs, but Mitchell Santner decided to chop and change his bowlers, and it did not work out, as the next 4 overs went for 80 runs. With all 10 wickets in hand, India have set up another platform for a massive score and potentially bat the Kiwis out of the game. New Zealand need to pull things back in the middle overs, and wickets are the only currency that can get them back in this final. Here is Mitchell Santner to bowl after the break.

A dot to end the Powerplay. On a hard length, Abhishek walks across the stumps and seeing that, Duffy pushes it away from the left-hander. Sharma ends up leaving the ball in the hope of getting a wide from the umpire, but gets nothing. 20 runs off the final over of the Powerplay. At the end of 6 overs, India are 92/0.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR ABHISHEK SHARMA! In just 18 balls. After a very underwhelming tournament, he has chosen a perfect occasion to make an impact. A hard-length delivery around the fifth stump. Abhishek stands tall and flat-bats it over the top of wide mid on for a boundary. The Indian dugout erupts in appreciation, with every player on their feet applauding the southpaw. This is the fastest fifty in this World Cup, informs Ravi Shastri on air.

And again! A bouncer outside off, and Abhishek spots that there’s no one stationed on the leg side boundary. He shuffles across the stumps and goes for the pull, only to get a top edge that sails over square leg. Mark Chapman chases it from the circle and cuts it off before the ropes. The batters run a couple.

FOUR! Just out of reach! Full outside off, Sharma swings hard across the line and skies it. Chapman gives it a chase and even puts in a dive, but the ball drops just beyond his reach. As he scrambles on the ground trying to pull it back in, he ends up nudging it onto the ropes instead.

SIX! Nonchalantly played! A low full toss, around off, Abhishek Sharma gets on the front foot, maintains his shape and thumps it downtown for a six.

FOUR! Edgy! A low full toss, on off, Abhishek advances and gives himself some room. He tries to go inside out through the off side, but only manages a fat outside edge. The ball shoots between the keeper and the short third fielder and goes for a boundary.

Jacob Duffy to bowl the final over of the Powerplay.

SIX! Gets much more than enough on that. Henry bashes the length hard, over middle and leg. Sanju Samson picks the length in a trice and nails the pull shot, parking it behind the deep square leg fence for a six. End of a very lengthy over from Henry. 21 runs from it.

On a hard length, jagging back into the batter. Samson plays off the back foot and pulls it between the deep square leg and deep mid-wicket fielders for a couple of runs.

At pace now, on a full length, outside off, Abhishek Sharma drives it through the vacant mid off region for a single.

SIX! HIGH AND HANDSOME! Full and slow, wide outside off, Abhishek Sharma has enough time in the world to get under it and he clubs it cleanly behind long off for a huge six. Abhishek moves to 30 (12).

WIDE! Not working at the moment for Henry. This is the fourth wide of the over. He goes miles outside the off pole and the tramline. Abhishek leaves.

Short of a good length, nipping into the batter at chest height. Sanju Samson pulls it off the back foot and it goes on the bounce to the deep mid-wicket fielder for a single.

WIDE! A bit too straight, down the leg stump line, slower at 117.2 kph. Samson gets inside the line, tries to pull, but fails to connect. Third wide of the over already.

Around off, on a good length, at 124.4 kph, a cutter, it seems. Abhishek Sharma hangs back and cuts it to deep backward point for a single.

WIDE! Again, Henry loses the radar and bowls outside the guideline, on the off side. Left alone by Sharma. Henry under pressure.

WIDE! Far outside off, across the batter, and breaching the tramline. Abhishek ignores. Wide called.

The last couple of overs have completely shifted the momentum towards India. Matt Henry comes back in the attack now. He gave away 7 runs in his first over.

FOUR! Sanju Samson gets it away this time. Sliding onto the pads, on a good length. Samson lets the ball come to him and tickles it fine of the man at short fine leg for a boundary. 24 runs off the over, 39 off the last 2. The 50 is up for India.

Lockie Ferguson takes pace off and bowls it full, on off, Sanju gets low and steers it to point.

Wide! Down leg again, on a back of a length. Sanju misses out in putting it away. 20 runs off the over with a ball to go.

Wide! Too full, down leg. Samson swings to get it away but misses. Tim Seifert does well to move to his left and makes the stop.

SIX! Not where Samson intended but he will take it. Cross-seam delivery, slanting into the right-hander. Samson hangs deep in the crease and has a swipe across the line. Gets a leading edge that goes down to deep third. The fielder in the deep is a bit square and he can only watch it sail over the ropes for a six.

Wide! Sprayed down leg, on a back of a length. Samson swivels to pull it away but is beaten for pace.

Hits the hard length, over middle. Abhishek dabs it in front of point and takes a single.

SIX! All the way! Leg-cutter from Ferguson, fuller and outside off. Sharma has a big swing at it. Ends up slicing it slightly but gets more than enough on the bat to clear the wide long off fence for a six.

FOUR! Streaky, but they all count! Lockie Ferguson steams in from over the wicket and bashes the hard length, across off. Abhishek charges down the track and flays at it. Gets a thickish outside edge that goes over the vacant slip cordon and flies down to deep third for a boundary.

India have made their move, going after Jacob Duffy. Bowler number 4 for the Kiwis, Lockie Ferguson replaces Glenn Phillips.

FOUR! 15 runs off the over! Jacob pitches it up but ends up being a bit too full and finds no help through the air, on off. Sanju presents the full face of the bat and smacks it back over the bowler's head for the third boundary of the over.

At the sticks, angled in on a length. Samson has a hack across the line and shanks it off the inner half to mid-wicket.

Just short! A heart-stopping moment for Abhishek Sharma. After being hit for a couple of fours on relatively full balls, Duffy responds by banging it in short, around middle and leg. Abhishek tries to take it on but the ball gets big on him. It goes flat towards deep square leg, where Glenn Phillips runs in off the ropes and puts in the dive but the ball drops short. Phillips does well to get his body behind the ball and prevents the ball from going past him. Just a single.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for the southpaw. Duffy stays full, on middle. Abhishek holds his shape and swings through the line. He does not try to overhit this one and lifts it back over the bowler's head for four more.

FOUR! Up and over! Fuller in length, on middle and leg. Abhishek clears the front leg and clubs it over wide mid on. Not quite from the middle of the bat, but enough to clear the in-field and fetch Sharma his first boundary.

Wide! Duffy pushes it across the left-hander, on a back of a length. Abhishek Sharma jumps out of the crease but the ball is out of his reach and he lets it go. The ball goes just beyond the tramline for a wide.

A hint of away shape, on a good length, on off and middle. Samson waits back and turns it through square leg for a single.

Third over and New Zealand bring in their third bowler as well. Jacob Duffy replaces Matt Henry.

Great effort! Floated up by Glenn Phillips, full and on middle. Sharma does not move his feet much and just extends his hands into the drive. Plays it between extra cover and long off. Daryl Mitchell is quick across the ground at long off, to his right, and dives to push the ball away from the fence. He saves a couple of runs for his side. A tidy start from Phillips.

No air given by Glenn Phillips, on a good length, outside off. Samson knocks it watchfully to long on and gets to the other end.

This is flatter and shorter, on off. Abhishek rides the bounce and taps it to long on. He is off the mark with a single.

Angled in from wide of the crease, full and on middle and leg. Abhishek Sharma lunges and defends it out.

From around the wicket for the left-hander. This is tossed up slightly, on off. A hint of turn, Sharma eases the drive to cover.

Starts on a nagging length, on top of off, Samson punches it off the back foot to long on and crosses over.

A good battle between bat and ball in the first over! First big move in the final already. Mitchell Santner brings in Glenn Phillips to bowl some offies now.

Good cricket! Matt pitches it up, on off and middle. Sanju presses forward and taps it with soft hands in front of mid on and scampers to the other end. 7 runs off the first over!

SIX! Sanju Samson and India are underway! Henry pulls the length back, outside off. This is fractionally short, but Samson is quick to pounce on it. He stands tall and thumps it off the front foot over the man at mid on for a flat six.

Make that four dots. Henry pushes the length up, not a lot of movement in the air or off the deck. Samson plays it all along the ground to mid on.

Around the off stump, on a length, Sanju hangs back and angles it to point from the crease. Three dots in a row.

A loud shout for LBW, turned down! Mitchell Santner gestures that there was bat involved and New Zealand do not go upstairs. The UltraEdge confirms the inside edge. Nipping back in, on a good length, at the sticks. Samson brings his bat out in front and ekes out an inside edge onto the pads.

Henry is right on the money! Angled in, on a good length, on middle. Samson is standing deep in his crease and he pats it back to the bowler with a straight bat.

Everything is set now for the grand finale! The stadium in Ahmedabad is a sea of blue, with over 100,000 fans filling the stands, while a few pockets of black signal support for the Kiwis. The New Zealand players gather in a quick huddle before spreading out to take their fielding positions. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma walk out to open the innings for India. Matt Henry has the new ball in hand and looks ready to charge in. Let's play...

We are just a few minutes away from the first ball, but before that, it is time for the national anthems. The legends of the Indian cricket team, and two of the T20 World Cup winning captains, Rohit Sharma, who is also the brand ambassador of this tournament, and MS Dhoni, carefully carry the glittering trophy and place it on the pedestal. The giant flags of both nations are unveiled in the center. And now, both teams walk out through the fireworks for the anthems. Jaedyn Randell, the famous New Zealand singer, gets the honor of singing the New Zealand national anthem. And it will be the iconic Kavita Krishnamurthy to sing the Indian national anthem.

Who's next? Daryl Mitchell, it is. He shares that he is really excited to be part of the final. He says the team has been in India for a couple of months now, and there is no other place he would rather be at this moment. Mitchell adds that they know the challenge that lies ahead, and the focus is simply to get out there, enjoy the contest and make the most of the 240 balls of cricket ahead of them. On the concern of being undercooked down the order with the openers scoring the bulk of the runs, Mitchell responds that there are plenty of players in the lineup capable of putting their hands up and helping the team. For them, it doesn't matter who does the job, as long as someone steps up when the team needs it.

Up for a quick word - Tilak Varma, on being asked about blocking out the outside noise and staying focused, admits that it isn’t easy, but points out that India have already been through similar high-pressure situations in their last three games, all of which were virtual knockouts. Having navigated those challenges, he says the team understands how to perform on the big stage. He underlines the pressure that comes with playing a final, and adds that the focus remains on sticking to their plans and playing together as a unit. On whether the team is treating the final like just another game, Varma says that while the importance of the occasion is always at the back of their minds, the focus is on keeping things simple and following the basics. Speaking about the flexibility in the batting order, he details that the players have been preparing for such situations for nearly a year and a half and are comfortable batting in different positions. Varma also points out that he himself has batted at number 5 and 6 in some series, highlighting the team’s readiness to adapt depending on the situation. On his approach after stepping onto the ground, Varma shares that he will stick to his usual routines, including assessing the surface before forming his gameplan for the final.

India's captain - Suryakumar Yadav shares that he is happy to bat first as that has been working for them. Believes that whether it is a semifinal or the final, it is good to have runs on the board. SKY mentions that it feels good to have the tag of the defending champions, but that is history now. Tells that the stands are packed already and he hopes to give them a good show tonight. Informs that they are unchanged for the final.

The captain of New Zealand - Mitchell Santner says that it looks like a good wicket and they hope to restrict India to a chasable total. Adds that this is why they play the game, playing in front of such a big crowd. Says that it's gonna be a great night, and they hope to put on a good show. Mentions that making the semis is a great occasion and they were very impressive against South Africa, but this is a new challenge. Says that you have to peak at the right time, and they have been doing exactly that. He expects a lot of runs in this game. Informs that Cole McConchie misses out and Jacob Duffy replaces him in the team.

New Zealand (Playing XI) - Tim Seifert (WK), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy (In for Cole McConchie).

India (Unchanged Playing XI) - Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

TOSS - Kem chho, Ahmedabad. It is coming down to the final coin flip in this ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 2026. Both captains - Mitchell Santner and Suryakumar Yadav - are out in the middle, all in readiness, with the team sheets exchanged. The evergreen Ravi Shastri is set to lead the proceedings, with the match referee Andy Pycroft keeping a close eye. On the occasion of International Women's Day, a young girl cricketer from Ahmedabad hands over the coin to the Indian captain. SKY will spin the coin, and Santner calls it right. NEW ZEALAND ELECT TO FIELD FIRST.

The closing ceremony has just been concluded in Ahmedabad and we are just a few minutes away from the flip of the coin. However, due to the performances, the toss might be delayed slightly. Live visuals show that both teams are coming out for their pre-match drills now.

The closing ceremony is currently underway at the Narendra Modi Stadium, with the evening already buzzing with music and colour. A steady stream of fans is still pouring into the stands, and the atmosphere is electric. Widely famous for her Gujarati songs and also known as the Garba Queen, Falguni Pathak set the tone with her vibrant performance. Then came the Prince of Bhangra, Sukhbir Singh, who brought his trademark energy and had the stage bouncing. Now, the spotlight has shifted to the immensely popular Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, who is keeping the celebrations alive with his playlist, including his iconic hit Livin' la Vida Loca.

PITCH REPORT - Former West Indies fast bowler, Ian Bishop is pitchside. He shares that the surface for the final is a mix of red and black soil. Mentions that the square boundaries measure 70 metres on one side and 68 metres on the other, while the straight boundary stands at 72 metres. Informs that the anti-dew spray has also been applied around the ground. Former England World Cup-winning captain, Eoin Morgan joins him, and he believes the anti-dew spray should make it a fairly even contest between bat and ball. Eoin observes a beautiful covering of grass with just a slight tinge on it. He expects the new ball to offer a bit of swing and seam early on, but it should be a really good surface to bat on. Morgan adds that historically there hasn’t been much on offer for the spinners at this venue, and he expects a high-scoring game.

Key battles - With explosive batting and experienced bowling attacks on both sides, the final promises a compelling clash of styles. Sanju Samson's unbeaten 97 and 89 have grabbed the headlines, but India's last match also showed how destructive their batting unit can be when it clicks together. New Zealand counter with their own firepower through the 'brothers of destruction', Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, with Allen arriving after a stunning 33-ball century in the semifinal. While the pace battle between Jasprit Bumrah's precision and Lockie Ferguson's raw speed will be a key subplot, the contest could ultimately be decided in the middle overs, where Mitchell Santner and Varun Chakaravarthy, despite struggling in recent games, hold the keys for their respective sides. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

The Black Caps' final act - New Zealand, meanwhile, return to the T20 World Cup final for only the second time, having finished runners-up in 2021. This will also be back-to-back ICC tournament finals for both sides, following the 2025 Champions Trophy final, where India lifted the trophy. Historically, though, the Black Caps have often had the edge in big moments with both of their ICC title wins coming against India, the 2000 Champions Trophy and the 2021 World Test Championship final. While India swept New Zealand 4-1 in a bilateral T20I series a few months ago, their record in T20 World Cups against the Kiwis remains winless, having lost all three previous meetings. Still, finals have a way of rewriting scripts, and New Zealand have built a reputation for thriving under pressure in global tournaments.

India eye record third crown - India head into their fourth T20 World Cup final with history on their side and a formidable record in the competition. No team has won more matches in the tournament's history, with India boasting 42 wins from 60 games (70%). Their consistency across ICC events is remarkable too - this marks their 15th ICC tournament final appearance, the most by any team. If they lift the trophy, India will become the first side to win three T20 World Cups, adding to their triumphs in 2007 and 2024. Ahmedabad carries mixed memories for the hosts as the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup final still lingers, and earlier in this tournament, India suffered their only defeat here against South Africa.

The final frontier - The road to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Final ends in Ahmedabad, where defending champions India face New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium with the trophy on the line. Welcome to what promises to be a blockbuster finale. The winner will etch their name in history, India chasing a record third T20 World Cup title while New Zealand look to finally lift the trophy for the first time. India arrive with momentum after edging England in a gripping semi-final, while the Black Caps brushed aside South Africa to book their place in the summit clash.

... THE FINALE ...

One last push - After 54 matches spread across India and Sri Lanka, 18 teams have bowed out, and only two remain standing in the battle for ultimate glory in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. All the work that has gone on over the past year, perhaps even longer, now comes down to this one night. In the blue corner stand India, the defending champions, while in the black corner are New Zealand, ready to throw their punches as two heavyweights go head to head at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. History beckons for India - The Men in Blue are featuring in their fourth T20 World Cup final, more than any other team in the tournament's history. Suryakumar Yadav and Co. have the chance to create history on multiple fronts. No host nation has ever won the Men's T20 World Cup, no team has successfully defended the title, and no side has lifted the trophy three times. India have never beaten New Zealand in T20 World Cups in the three meetings between the two sides, and they will be eager to break that hoodoo on the biggest stage. Kiwis chase a long-awaited crown - As for New Zealand, they are in their second T20 World Cup final and are chasing their first ICC men's white-ball title since the 2000 Champions Trophy. The White Ferns claimed their maiden T20 World Cup crown in 2024, and Mitchell Santner's men will be hoping to follow in their footsteps. If they do, New Zealand would hold both the men's and women's T20 World Cup titles at the same time. India's road to the final - The reigning holders came into the tournament as the hot favourites. During the group stage, while they progressed unbeaten, they looked only a shadow of the side that had dominated in the lead-up to the World Cup. Then came the heavy defeat to South Africa that knocked them off their stride. India, however, regrouped well, fought their way into the semifinals, and then secured a hard-fought win in a high-scoring thriller against England. Is everything hunky-dory now? Not quite. Abhishek Sharma's lean patch refuses to end, while Varun Chakaravarthy, who had been such a reliable option over the past year, has suddenly been taken apart in the last four games. Do India persist with Varun, or do they make the brave call of bringing Kuldeep Yadav into the side? Washington Sundar is also an option, but the chinaman bowler brings the X factor, and Kuldeep looks the likelier replacement should the home side opt for a change. The numbers against New Zealand offer some context. Varun has 4 wickets in 4 T20Is against the Kiwis at an average of 32.75 and an economy of 8.18. Kuldeep, meanwhile, has played 8 games against them and picked up 9 wickets at an average of 21.22 and an economy of 7.64. If India do stick with Varun, he will welcome the larger dimensions of Ahmedabad after being severely punished in Kolkata and Mumbai, where the square boundaries were shorter. Batting finds its rhythm - While Abhishek has struggled for runs, the rest of the Indian batting has clicked at the right time. Sanju Samson, in particular, has been a key figure in their turnaround with the bat over the last couple of matches, while contributions came across the board in the run-fest semifinal in Mumbai. Pandya's rise, Bumrah's test - One of the major positives to emerge from that high-intensity semifinal against England, apart from their improved catching, was Hardik Pandya stepping up with the ball to support Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah may have picked up 10 wickets at an astonishing economy rate of 6.62, but he does not have the best numbers against New Zealand. Of the 21 times he has gone wicketless in T20Is, four have come against the Kiwis, the joint-most along with Australia and Sri Lanka, and on a couple of those occasions, his economy has gone past 10. From the group of death to the final - New Zealand emerged from what many called the group of death, one that included South Africa, Afghanistan, the UAE and Canada. In the semifinal, they produced a statement win against South Africa, who had been the team to beat in the tournament. The Kiwis have also achieved some remarkable feats in India over the past couple of years. In 2024, they handed India their first-ever home Test whitewash, and earlier this year, they secured their first ODI series win on Indian soil. Now they stand on the verge of another historic moment. The Bash Brothers effect - Much of their success at this World Cup has been built on the explosive opening combination of Tim Seifert and Finn Allen. The pair have put together 563 runs in the tournament, accounting for 47.87 per cent of New Zealand's total runs, and have done so at a remarkable strike rate of 180.44. Ravindra's dual impact - At number three, Rachin Ravindra may not have had the impact with the bat that many expected, but he has more than made up for it with the ball. He has picked up 11 wickets, the most for New Zealand in the tournament, while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 6.88. With conditions in Ahmedabad unlikely to offer much assistance for spin, New Zealand will need Ravindra to contribute more with the bat. His record against India in this format, however, is modest, with just 88 runs in 6 innings. A match-up to watch - Just as he did against South Africa by removing Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton early, Cole McConchie could prove to be a key matchup against India's left-handers. His battle against Abhishek Sharma will be particularly interesting, especially given that the struggling Indian opener has been dismissed 3 times by off-spin in 7 innings. Team form (Last 5 completed T20Is, recent first) - IND - WWWLW | NZ - WLWWL. Need for an extra pacer? It might be something worth considering for both camps. At Ahmedabad in this World Cup, pacers have had far greater success than spinners. Fast bowlers have picked up 52 wickets at an average of 26.05 and an economy of 8.92, while spinners have managed only 21 wickets at an average of 35.57 and an economy of 9.33. South Africa perhaps illustrated this trend better than anyone else, having played more games in Ahmedabad than any other side. In their five matches at the venue, their seamers accounted for 32 wickets, compared to just 7 for the spinners. India could therefore consider bringing Mohammed Siraj into the equation, while New Zealand may have a decision to make between Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson, depending on how they want to structure their pace attack. The case for batting first - Scoring trends also offer some insight. The average first innings score in the four night games played in Ahmedabad during this World Cup is 192, with three of those matches won by the team batting first. That pattern aligns with what was seen in the 2025 IPL as well, where 6 of the 7 night games at the venue were won by the side that set the target. A tale of two approaches - 6 of India's 7 wins in the tournament have come while batting first. New Zealand, meanwhile, have been more comfortable chasing, with 4 of their 5 victories coming while pursuing a target. Under the lights in Ahmedabad, one team will script history while the other will be left wondering what might have been. All that remains now is for these two giants to step into the ring and deliver the final act of this World Cup.