Summary of this article
India put together a massive total of 255/5 on the board against New Zealand in the final
Shivam Dube played a knock of unbeaten 26 runs in 8 balls
His innings boosted India's final total
Keeping his happy knack of late, yet game-changing contributions going in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 final, Shivam Dube bludgeoned an unbeaten eight-ball 26 to propel India to a record total of 255 for five against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Sunday (March 8).
Dube came into bat when India were losing a bit of steam after losing 4 wickets in very quick time and a dry spell which saw only two boundaries scored in last 20 balls. It was an unfamiliar position for him, given he came on to bat in a much higher position in the semi-final. But he took the opportunity by its neck and played an unbeaten cameo of 26 runs off 8 balls, adding some much-needed quickfire runs in India's total.
This is not the first time in the competition Shivam Dube has impacted the game like this. In the do-or-die match against West Indies in the Super 8, he hit two boundaries in a crunch moment to make the job easier for India and release the pressure from Sanju Samson at the other end.
"For me, Shivam's two boundaries are as important as Sanju's 97 because if he hadn't hit those two boundaries, you won't have even spoken about it (97-run knock). The big contribution makes headlines. The small contribution, the contribution that can help the team win, cross that line, are very important." said Team India coach Gautam Gambhir after the match.
During the group stage, against Netherlands, in a very critical situation, Dube scored 66 runs in 31 balls, powering India to a safe score. India eventually won and Dube was named player of the match. It was his highest score in the competition.
Against England in the semi-final, Dube was the one who gave the innings a final push. He scored 43 runs in just 25 deliveries, taking a good total to a great and winning total on the board. Leaving the opposition on their knees.
Time and again, while Team India's top orders scored runs with in-form Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan taking up charge, Dube has silently contributed coming in the back end of the innings, helping Team India get to winning positions. If and when India wins the title, Dube's contributions will demand to hold the same impact as any others.
