On 8 March 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India beat New Zealand by 96 runs to win the T20 World Cup. India made 255 for 5. New Zealand were bowled out for 159.
What the win means
India came in as defending champions after the 2024 title. Winning again made them the first team to take back-to-back T20 World Cups and the first host nation to win the tournament on home soil. It is also their third title overall, after 2007 and 2024, which is more than any other team.
The 255
The top order did the damage. Sanju Samson hit 89 off 46 balls with five fours and eight sixes. Ishan Kishan made 54 off 25 and Abhishek Sharma 52 off 21, a strike rate of just under 248. Hardik Pandya added a quick 18 off 13. Jamie Neesham took both Samson and Kishan, but by then India had put up a total that was never going to be chased down in a final.
Bumrah closes it out
Jasprit Bumrah finished with 4 for 15 and was named Player of the Match. Defending 255, India only needed to avoid giving away early momentum, and Bumrah's spell made sure of that.
How the innings was built
Abhishek and Samson put on 98 for the first wicket before Abhishek was caught behind off Rachin Ravindra in the 8th over. Samson and Kishan then took India to 203 for 2 in the 16th over. In that one over James Neesham got Samson and Kishan, and then Suryakumar Yadav, who was caught by Ravindra at deep backward square leg. India went from 203 for 2 to 204 for 4 in six balls. Hardik Pandya added 18, and Shivam Dube finished it with 26 not out off 8 balls, with three fours and two sixes, to get India to 255. Neesham took 3 for 46, and Matt Henry went for 49 in his four overs.
The chase
New Zealand needed 256 and never got near it. Finn Allen was out for 9 in the third over and Ravindra for 1 in the next. Tim Seifert hit 52 off 26 balls with five sixes, but he fell to Varun Chakravarthy, and New Zealand were 72 for 5 in the 9th over. Captain Mitchell Santner made 43 off 35 and was bowled by Bumrah. Axar Patel took 3 for 27, Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma took one wicket each, and Bumrah took 4 for 15 as New Zealand were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs.
Samson's tournament
Sanju Samson was named Player of the Series with 321 runs, and ESPNcricinfo's MVP for the final too. His 89 was the highest score of the match. Bumrah was Player of the Match for his 4 for 15.
Sources
Scores and player figures are from the ESPNcricinfo scorecard and the BCCI match centre. The tournament records are from the 2026 T20 World Cup summary.
