India are T20 World Cup champions. Again. Third time. And for the very first time in history, a team has successfully defended the title — in front of 86,000 roaring fans at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The same ground where they lost the ODI World Cup final three years ago.
March 8, 2026. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The demons of 2023 have been exorcised. India beat New Zealand by 96 runs — the most dominant final in T20 World Cup history — to become the first team ever to win three T20 World Cup titles and the first to defend the championship back-to-back.
Sanju Samson scored 89. Abhishek Sharma hit the fastest fifty in T20 World Cup knockout history — off just 18 balls. Ishan Kishan blazed 54 off 25. Shivam Dube smashed 26* off just 8 balls to launch India past 250. And then James Neesham — in one devastating over — removed Samson, Kishan and Suryakumar off three wickets for one run, before Jasprit Bumrah delivered a 4-for-15 that dismantled whatever hope New Zealand had left.
India posted 255 for 5 — the highest total in T20 World Cup Final history. New Zealand were bowled out for 159. India won by 96 runs — their largest ever margin of victory in T20 World Cup history.
As Vande Mataram echoed across the Narendra Modi Stadium and fireworks lit up the Ahmedabad sky, Suryakumar Yadav lifted the trophy for India's third time — and the whole cricketing world watched in awe.
