Ahmedabad: The heartbreak of 2023 is finally over! India crushed New Zealand in Ahmedabad to lift a record 3rd T20 World Cup title. India beat New Zealand by 96 runs. From a record 92-run Powerplay to Sanju Samson’s masterclass and Shivam Dube’s late blitz, read how the Men in Blue scripted a historic win on home soil.
Team India has won its record third T20 World Cup title in Ahmedabad on Sunday (Mar 8), beating New Zealand in a lop-sided contest by 96 runs. The Men in Blue have created history at the venue where they suffered their cruellest heartbreak in 2023, becoming the first team to defend its T20 crown and win the World Cup at home, surpassing England and West Indies to do it three times overall, most by any team.
Meanwhile, batting first after losing the toss, the Indian openers made a mockery of the Kiwi bowling attack by smashing runs and records for fun. Underperforming Abhishek Sharma roared back to form with his second fifty of the tournament, while stitching 92 runs with Sanju Samson inside the Powerplay, a new record. Although they could add just six more to the tally before Sharma departed, Samson’s onslaught dragged New Zealand away from the win.
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The right-hander completed his third straight fifty in this T20 World Cup, with all coming at the crucial stages. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, also smashed a quickfire half-century, helping India cross 200 inside the 16 overs. With the runs and momentum on their side, India had almost already sealed the final’s fate by then; however, a cluster of wickets in the same over held them back. Three wickets off Jimmy Neesham, including captain Suryakumar Yadav on a first-ball duck, saw New Zealand crawl back a little in this game.
But after a couple of good overs, Shivam Dube rocked the stadium with his eight-ball unbeaten 26, including two sixes and three fours. His late blitz helped India post their third 250-plus score in this edition alone, also the third-highest ever (255/6) in 20 overs.
The Kiwi openers, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, who ended South Africa’s unbeaten run and the dream to reach successive finals with a record stand in the first semifinal, failed to get going on the day it mattered the most. Despite a solid start, including a 17-run first over by Hardik Pandya, both got out to spinners, with Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya reducing them to 72 for five in the run chase.
After a brief period of quick runs from New Zealand’s lower-middle order, Axar Patel struck gold by picking up Daryl Mitchell caught in the deep on 17, his third of the day.Bumrah returned to haunt the Kiwis, removing Jimmy Neesham and Matt Henry off successive balls, reducing New Zealand to 141 for eight. The ace seamer then removed New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, clean bowled on 43, to complete his fourth of the day. He finished with the figures of four for 15 – the best-ever in a T20 WC Final.
