New Zealand faces a target of 256 runs to defeat defending champions India and secure their first-ever Twenty20 World Cup victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium. India, batting first, capitalized on a strong 98-run opening partnership between Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) to post a total of 255-5. Samson’s explosive innings included eight sixes and five fours, showcasing his exceptional form in the crucial stage of the tournament. Despite Ishan Kishan’s contribution of 54 runs, James Neesham’s three-wicket over towards the end slowed down India’s scoring momentum.
In the final match, New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to bowl first, aiming to clinch their inaugural title. The stadium was expected to be packed with over 100,000 fans at the world’s largest cricket venue, the Narendra Modi Stadium with a seating capacity of 132,000. New Zealand made one change to their lineup, bringing in pace bowler Jacob Duffy in place of off-spinner Cole McConchie. Despite inconsistent performances in the tournament, New Zealand dominated in the semi-finals against South Africa with a convincing nine-wicket victory.
India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, retained their lineup from the intense semi-final win against England in their pursuit to defend the championship title. A victory for India would mark the first successful title defense in the tournament’s history and secure a record third T20 World Cup crown. The event featured vibrant Bollywood performances and concluded with a show by Grammy Award-winning singer Ricky Martin.
The teams for the final match are as follows:
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (capt), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.
Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Richard Illingworth (ENG)
TV Umpire: Allahuddien Paleker (RSA)
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)