India Vs New Zealand Final, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Who Said What After Men In Blue's Third Title Victory

India win their third ICC T20 World Cup title as they defeat New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 08 (Sunday). India were put in to bat first by New Zealand after the latter won the toss. India put up a mammoth 255/5 on the board and bowled out New Zealand for 159.

This is the first time a team has won two consecutive T20 World Cups. Also India have won a third consecutive ICC title with this after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This is their second ICC title under coach Gautam Gambhir.

India showed their batting power on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which gave them a heartbreak during the ODI World Cup. They demolished the New Zealand bowlers and put up a score of 255/5 after the 20 overs. Sanju Samson (89), Abhishek Sharma (52) and Ishan Kishan (54) played big roles in setting up the total.

New Zealand were nowhere in the picture while chasing. They were bowled out for only 159 with Jasprit Bumrah registering a spell of 4/15 in his four overs. Axar Patel dismissed Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips early and it almost decided the game for India. Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Abhishek Sharma chipped in with wickets as well.

Abhishek Sharma's Reaction

I mean, of course, (Was there ever a feeling, why is this happening to me? - Talking about the string of low scores) but the one thing was very clear. I wanted to share before as well, but today was the best day to tell about this thing that the coach and the captain, they had the faith in me. And, even I was doubting myself because it was not an easy tournament for me. I’ve never experienced this before, but still playing the first World Cup. Everyone was so, so much into me that you’re going to win one game, one big game, one big game. So I was just doing my process, but it wasn’t that easy as a young player or probably you’ve just been one or two years in the Indian team and then going through this phase. But I think I just love this team, the way they treated me in those days. It was, I’ve never felt it before. I mean, I’ve told you before as well (how does it feel now to be standing up on something that must have been a dream for you), it wasn’t that easy for me because, you know, going through the whole year, you’ve been doing well for the team and especially on the big occasion. I wasn’t able to do well, but the faith and the confidence, I think players and support staff and coaches showed on me. I think I got emotional in between the tournament as well because if you see that I wanted to do really well for in all the games probably, but I couldn’t. But then I was like, I wanted to talk to coach or captain. They always wanted to come to me and just say one thing, you are, you’re gonna win us the big games. And I just wanted to wait for that day and you can’t ask for the better day for this.

Varun Chakravarthy's Reaction

Feels amazing. Two back-to-back ICC trophies and it feels very surreal. I’m very happy for Abhishek. He was able to score today and he used to sit next to me and we used to have good time, yeah. We used to keep changing seats. We are like, what’s happening? Nothing is working out for us. And finally, we have won the cup. So everything is zeroed out, yeah.

Arshdeep Singh's Reaction “Nothing much, I just went to say sorry to Mitchell. My throw reverse-swung a bit too much and it hit his body, so I told him that I didn’t hit him intentionally. I don’t really know what the emotion feels like right now, sir. At the moment it feels good because we’re winning, but in two or three days we’ll know when the emotions sink in, how it actually feels. And it’s a fantastic team, there are match-winners everywhere in this team, so there was belief from the start that we would perform well, and whatever the result is, that’s just the topping on the cake. The role of the bowlers is that if the batsmen are scoring 250, then you have to stop them below 250, that’s the role we kept for ourselves. And if we bowl first, then try to restrict them to as low as possible and give the batters a chance to play freely. (on what reels he has planned for?) I’ll go upstairs and bring my phone now, I’ve thought of ten or fifteen reels, let’s see how many we make. But it’s been great, I enjoyed it a lot.”

Shivam Dube's Reaction

(On his role) It was always there to hit some big sixes. That was my role since the first day of this tournament. And yeah, sometimes it happens. Some other batsmen are there when they go up. But yes, I always back myself and think that whenever I get the opportunity, I will hit some sixes. (On his bowling) I've developed a lot, but yeah, I have not bowled this tournament. But yes, I'm going to come better next time. (Celebrating long into the week?) Definitely, it's one of the biggest days today and the crowd was amazing. This tournament belongs to the supporters of Indian cricket team. The prayers and I think we have got that love which supported us a lot in the bad situations. I think all credit goes to all the Indian cricket team supporters.

Tilak Varma's Reaction

To be honest, we have prepared a lot. One and a half years we are playing in all the positions and we were prepared for batting at any position for the team. That's what we have decided. What the team needs we are up for it and we have already practiced and we are in a right mindset for batting in any position. (On the team's fielding getting better) I would not say, whenever the team needed, the boys always stood up in the fielding (dept). Especially when you see in the semifinal game against England, the way Axar took the catches and the way we have fielded. And today also, I would not say it was the best fielding (effort), but still we have taken some good catches. In the end, me and Ishan fielded well today. So yeah, end of the day, we are happy that we won the final. (What plan for the next two weeks before the IPL?) Absolutely, next couple of days will be a big party with the boys. We have decided after the final we're going to do a big party and we'll take a couple of days of rest and we'll be back again in the IPL.

Washington Sundar's Reaction

(Have you been in a better team environment) Credit goes to all the support staff. They've been amazing throughout the tournament and even before the tournament, the amount of work they put in every individual in the team has been amazing. I mean, it genuinely goes to everyone in the team. It's an amazing feeling. I think it's an amazing feeling for everyone to be a part of these experiences. I'm sure there's more to come.

Jasprit Bumrah's Reaction (Player Of The Match)

It feels extremely special because I’ve played one final at my home venue and you know, couldn’t win that one, but this one feels really special. I was really motivated. I was really clear. I knew what I wanted to do. The wicket was a flat one, so I played all my cricket here, so I used all my experience. Today was a wonderful day where all the execution went as per plan. So, yeah, really happy, really grateful. God is really kind. So, before this tournament, I was in that zone where I felt I was trying too hard because I was bowling really well, but somewhere or the other way, I was feeling that maybe I’m trying too hard. But in this format, I let the game come to me. I was clear. I used to prepare and then read the situation and believe in myself. That is what I tried to do in this tournament. It worked really well for me. So, yeah, my individual assessment of my game has always been my strength. So, yeah, couldn’t be really happy. I couldn’t be special than this to win Man of the Match here, World Cup finals, started my cricket here. Doesn’t get better than this. That I was not aware of (on recording his career best figures today), but really happy to close off on the win. Because of the experience, because I’ve played on belters over here, I have also seen the other team, how they were bowling. I have learnt over here when you are trying to bowl too fast, it gets easier. Shot making gets easier. Sometimes the ball skips on. So, keep being smart, keep changing your pace, you know, and expecting what the batsman is trying to do. So, all of these things really help you and clarity while execution also helps. Oh, it (word about the rest of the bowling group) was really wonderful. Everybody is very clear. Whenever we’ve discussed, they always come up with their options. And whenever there’s some communication that is to be needed, we always did that. We kept calm. We were never panicking, even if sometimes in the tournament, the games got close like the last one, we never panicked. We always felt that we keep our head above the water and try to hold our nerve. Teams that do that win the tournament and we are very happy that we did it. It’s really, really special. The crowd was really brilliant. They were behind us. They supported us throughout. And yeah, really, really happy and really thankful for all the support.

Sanju Samson's Reaction (Player Of The Tournament)

Feels like a dream, actually. Very, very happy, very grateful. Out of words, out of emotions. I’m just going through it, so it feels a bit surreal. To be very honest, I think, sir, it all started one to two years before. When I was with the 2024 World Cup-winning team in West Indies, I couldn’t play a game. I kept on visualizing. I kept on dreaming. I kept on working. This is exactly what I wanted to do then. I thought I need to work in, I need to put in so much of work that this is exactly what I wanted to achieve. And by God’s grace, I think today things have turned around. I think right after the New Zealand series, I was broke. I was completely out of my mind. I was like, okay, my dreams have shattered. Okay, what else can I do? But God had different plans. I think I suddenly came back into the crucial games and I did what I could for my country. So, I think I’m very proud and very happy that I was courageous enough to dream about it. And actually, things have turned up so nicely for me. So, very grateful. Yes, sir. I think to be very honest, a lot of guidance and suggestions from our senior players in the former Indian team have really reached out to me and they tried to help me out. But I think from last couple of months, I think I hope I can share it here. I think I have been in constant touch with Sachin sir. I think Sachin Tendulkar sir. I think when I was outside, sitting outside in Australia, I was not playing a game. So, I thought about, okay, what is the mindset required now? So, I reached out to sir and I had huge, huge big conversations with him. And right yesterday also, he called me up to check how am I feeling. So, I think getting a guidance from someone like him, what more can I ask for? I think that clarity, that game preparation, that game awareness, that game sense, I think I’m very grateful for everyone who supported me. Yes, sir (Anything he wants to achieve in the future). I think but this itself is very big for me. I need to enjoy it right now. And then I think after a few days, we’ll figure out what next to do.

Mitchell Santner's Reaction

Proud of the boys to make it this far. Obviously, we had some challenges throughout the tournament, but, you know, at each stage, we kind of got through and put on a good show. Obviously, tonight, we were outplayed by a very good team in front of a great crowd. So, yeah, proud of the boys. Yeah, I mean, most games we play, it’s always a great crowd and to see a big sea of blue out there was, obviously, we’re not the home favourites, but yeah, credit to India to win a title at home is always, it comes with a lot of pressures. And I think, SKY and the boys should be pretty, very, very proud of their work. I think different guys stepped up at different times throughout every stage. And I think we were confronted with challenges throughout every stage. And, you know, it was nice to obviously get through. And obviously Super 8s and then the semi-final, we put on a pretty good show. And I guess tonight we were outplayed. But again, I think the boys should be very proud of their work.

Suryakumar Yadav's Reaction

It will take a little bit of time. Very happy with what has happened. Has been a long journey. Started post 2024 when BCCI, Jay bhai that time secretary, showed faith in me. Coming here at Shri Narendra Modi Stadium and doing it is a special feeling. Were playing good cricket throughout the two years and it was going well. Wanted to follow the good habits from the 2024 World Cup. It's really important to understand what they're capable of. Timing was perfect for Sanju to come in. Varun, Abhishek - World No.1 players. Also how Bumrah, Hardik and Axar - they've been in the system for a long time. Like how Sanju said in the last game, once in a generation bowler. I can call him a national treasure. He knows what needs to be done. How it needs to be done.