AHMEDABAD, India, March 8 – White-ball behemoth India etched their name deeper into cricketing history on Sunday as the first side to lift the men’s Twenty20 World Cup for a third time with a ruthless demolition of New Zealand in a lop-sided final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
More than 86,000 predominantly Indian supporters packed into the world’s largest cricket ground did not get a nail-biter, but they left elated as the hosts cantered to a 96‑run victory with almost comical ease – becoming the first team to retain the title in the process.
The victory will taste particularly sweet for India since it came at a venue where they were beaten by Australia in the final of the 50-overs World Cup three years ago.
India were in the box seat after each of their top three batters hammered blistering half‑centuries, propelling the total to a mammoth 255‑5.
Opener Sanju Samson produced his third successive 80-plus score, maintaining his red-hot form in the business end of the tournament, which also fetched him the player-of-the-tournament award.
New Zealand needed a blazing start to keep pace but it never arrived.
India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah showed once more why he is regarded as the finest all‑format bowler of his generation, returning remarkable figures of 4‑15 on a flat track to claim the player‑of‑the‑match honour.
With the T20 World Cup now sitting alongside the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup, India are currently in a league of their own in limited-overs cricket.
“I have 10 more years (of cricket) left in me and I want to win 10 more ICC (International Cricket Council) titles. That’s my goal,” India all-rounder Hardik Pandya said.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir said the team led by Suryakumar Yadav reaped dividends of their team-before-self philosophy.
“My simple philosophy with Surya has always been that milestones don’t matter. It’s the trophies that matter,” Gambhir said.
EARLY SHOCK
India went into the home World Cup as overwhelming favourites but their campaign was far from flawless.
A defeat by South Africa jolted them out of any complacency and they did not put a foot wrong in the tournament after that setback in Ahmedabad.
