LIVE: India off to a whirlwind start against New Zealand

A month and 54 matches later, here we are: the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

New Zealand take on tournament co-hosts and defending champions India at the biggest cricket arena in the world, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

While the Black Caps are aiming for their first T20 World Cup glory, India are bidding to become the first team to win back-to-back titles. If India win, they will also be the first team to win three T20 World Cup titles and the first hosts to clinch the championship.

New Zealand, meanwhile, are hoping to reverse the trend of failing at the final hurdle. This is their fifth final at an ICC white-ball world event in 11 years, after reaching the summit clash of the 2025 Champions Trophy, 2021 T20 World Cup, 2019 ODI World Cup and 2015 ODI World Cup.

Both India and New Zealand come into the match on the back of emphatic batting performances. India edged out England in a high-scoring thriller in Mumbai in the semi-final, while New Zealand ended South Africa's perfect run with a nine-wicket win in Kolkata, chasing a target of 170 in 12.5 overs.

Playing at home, India are the favourites on paper but have never beaten New Zealand at the T20 World Cup in their three previous clashes.

India v New Zealand

Scorecard

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to field against India in Ahmedabad. India go into the final unchanged, while New Zealand have brought in an extra pacer in Jacob Duffy in place of Cole McConchie.

The gulf in big-match experience has been exposed in powerplay. While the Black Caps pacers have struggled to keep to a steady line, India's left-right opening duo of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma has stepped up the pressure.

After a watchful first couple of overs, India hit top gear, clobbering 24 in the fourth over as Samson-Sharma became the first opening duo to score 50+ stand in a T20 World Cup final. A usually reliable Matt Henry ended up conceding four wides in the fifth over, contributing to eight extra deliveries New Zealand has bowled already in powerplay, the most they have ever done in T20Is.

Samson and Sharma have carted the ball all around the park to pile 92 runs in the first six overs. It is the highest powerplay score of this World Cup, and the joint-highest in T20 World Cup history.

Though he wasn't in the best of forms at the start of the World Cup, Sharma rose to the occasion in the final, bringing up the fastest 50 of the tournament, in just 18 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes.

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