There was barely a contest on Sunday night as India posted 255 and then dismissed New Zealand for 159 to win the T20 World Cup by 96 runs. The final lacked the drama of a close contest, but it was a masterclass in how to win a major tournament — India controlled every phase of the game and never once looked like losing.
The New Zealand bowlers were given a torrid time from the third over onwards. Duffy, Ferguson, and Henry all leaked runs at an alarming rate as the Indian openers found their rhythm. By the end of the powerplay the score read 92 for no wicket, and the bowlers wore the kind of expressions that suggested they knew exactly what was coming.
Samson, Sharma, and Kishan all looked in supreme touch. Samson’s 89 was the highlight — a carefully constructed masterpiece of sixes and boundaries that came off just 46 deliveries. Kishan’s 54 off 25 was more of a blitz. Sharma’s 18-ball fifty set the tone. At 191 for one, the game was essentially won.
Chasing 256, New Zealand never threatened. Allen perished early, Seifert’s fifty was cosmetic, and the middle order made little impact. Bumrah was the key figure with the ball, removing three batters with a combination of pace, skill, and deception. The result was a foregone conclusion long before the final wicket fell.
India become the first men’s team in history to win two consecutive T20 World Cups and the first to win the title on home soil. It was a performance worthy of all-time champions, delivered in front of one of the loudest crowds in World Cup history.