Overview:
The Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest cricket ground in the world, with a crowd in excess of 100,000 expected at today’s final. The pitch should aid batters through both innings, with evening dew possibly aiding the chasing side.
Abhishek Sharma returned to form while Sanju Samson continued to dominate the bowler as the two added 92 runs in the powerplay overs against New Zealand in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Mitchell Santner won the toss and invited India to bat first and the two Indian openers decided to go after the bowlers and successfully hit fours and sixes.
Abhishek, who was retained in the side, was on 51 runs off 19 balls, laced with 6 fours and 3 sixes. On the other hand, Samson managed 33 runs off 17 deliveries, including 3 sixes and 2 fours.
It is a second consecutive T20 World Cup final for India after it beat South Africa in 2024 at Barbados to claim a second title. India won the inaugural tournament in 2007 and could become the first team to lift this trophy for a third time.
India is the only team to reach four finals. West Indies (2012 and 2016) and England (2010, 2022) are the other teams to have won the T20 World Cup twice.
New Zealand is aiming for its first T20 World Cup triumph. It finished as runner-up in the 2021 final, losing to Australia in Dubai.
India topped Group A in the first round and then finished second in Group 1 in the Super 8s. Its only loss came against South Africa in the Super 8s at the same venue. The co-hosts beat England in the second semifinal in Mumbai.
New Zealand finished second in Group D in the first round and finished second in Group 2 in the Super 8s. It beat South Africa in the first semifinal at Kolkata.
The Black Caps have made one change with medium pacer Jacob Duffy coming in for Cole McConchie.
India is unchanged from the Mumbai semifinal.
The Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest cricket ground in the world, with a crowd in excess of 100,000 expected at today’s final. The pitch should aid batters through both innings, with evening dew possibly aiding the chasing side.
Line-ups
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (captain), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy