NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) congratulated India cricket team after their victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.India registered a commanding 96-run victory in the summit clash, lifting the trophy in front of a packed home crowd.

The triumph marked a historic milestone as India successfully defended the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title, becoming the first team in the tournament’s history to retain the trophy. The victory was also significant as India became the first nation to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on home soil, making the occasion even more memorable for millions of fans.Under the leadership of captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian team showcased fearless and dynamic cricket throughout the competition. With explosive batting, disciplined bowling and exceptional fielding, the side remained consistent across all phases of the tournament and delivered when it mattered most.The BCCI also praised head coach Gautam Gambhir and the support staff for their leadership, planning and preparation, which helped build a confident and well-balanced team capable of performing under pressure.“The Board also commends the Men’s Selection Committee for identifying and backing a group of players who combined experience with youthful energy, resulting in a formidable squad that delivered on the biggest stage. The BCCI also thanks all its affiliated State Associations for their continued contribution in helping achieve this vision,” BCCI said in a statement.Congratulating the team, BCCI president Mithun Manhas said, “Winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a moment of immense pride for the entire nation. To defend the title and achieve this feat on home soil makes it even more special. The team played outstanding cricket throughout the tournament under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and the guidance of Head Coach Gautam Gambhir. I congratulate every member of the squad, the coaching staff and the selectors for this remarkable accomplishment.”BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, “Indian cricket is currently in its golden phase. India hosted two major ICC events — the ICC Women’s World Cup last year and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup — and to emerge champions in both is simply remarkable. This success is also a reflection of the strong foundations laid over the years through progressive planning and vision. The contributions of Mr Jay Shah during his tenure in strengthening Indian cricket’s structures and global standing have played a significant role in shaping this era of excellence. Kudos to Captain Suryakumar Yadav and his fearless group, the team management led by Gautam Gambhir and the selectors for building a balanced side capable of excelling on the world stage yet again.”BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla added, “This victory is the result of collective effort, meticulous preparation and the commitment shown by the players and support staff throughout the tournament. The team has displayed remarkable composure and confidence in high-pressure situations, a hallmark of champion sides. To win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in front of our home fans makes the moment even more special and memorable. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of ICC Chair Mr Jay Shah, whose strong leadership continues to strengthen the global growth of the game. We thank the ICC for organising such a wonderful tournament that showcased the very best of T20 cricket. This triumph will remain a historic milestone for Indian cricket and a source of immense pride for the entire nation.”

India’s players celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Virat Kohli hailed India national cricket team after their dominant triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, praising the side’s fearless cricket and resilience throughout the tournament.Kohli took to social media after the title clash to congratulate the team following their emphatic 96 run victory over New Zealand national cricket team in the summit clash at Narendra Modi Stadium.

Virat Kohli post

“Champions Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat. Jai Hind,” Kohli wrote.India produced a batting spectacle to overwhelm New Zealand and successfully defend their T20 World Cup crown. The defending champions piled up a massive 255 for five after being invited to bat, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.Sanju Samson led the charge with a blistering 89, while Abhishek Sharma smashed 52 and Ishan Kishan struck a rapid 54 as India’s top order unleashed a relentless six hitting spree. Samson and Abhishek set the tone early with a breathtaking 98 run opening partnership that came in just 7.1 overs.India crossed the 200 run mark in only 15 overs as the Kiwi attack struggled to contain the onslaught. New Zealand briefly pulled things back when James Neesham dismissed Samson, Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav in the same over.However, Shivam Dube provided a strong finish with an unbeaten 26, smashing 24 runs in the final over to push India to the record total.Chasing 256, New Zealand faltered under the scoreboard pressure. Their hopes faded quickly after early wickets of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips.Jasprit Bumrah led India’s bowling effort with a brilliant spell of 4 for 15, while Axar Patel picked up three wickets to dismantle the Kiwi batting line up.Though Tim Seifert fought with a 26 ball 52, New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19 overs as India sealed a memorable victory and etched their name in history by becoming the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah (ANI Photo)

Ahead of India’s highly anticipated T20 World Cup final against the New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad, Jasprit Bumrah has received glowing praise from one of fast bowling’s greatest names, James Anderson. The former England pacer, who became the first fast bowler in history to reach 600 Test wickets, hailed Bumrah’s extraordinary skill set and described his bowling as something truly unique. India head into the summit clash riding high on momentum, and Bumrah has been a key contributor during the knockout stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. In the semi-final against the England cricket team at the Wankhede Stadium, the Indian speedster produced a crucial spell at the death. With the match turning into a high-scoring thriller, Bumrah conceded only 14 runs in his final two overs. That tight finish proved decisive as India posted 253 and held on to secure a narrow seven-run victory.Also See: India vs New Zealand Live Score T20 World Cup 2026

Before that, Bumrah had also played a decisive role in India’s must-win clash against the West Indies cricket team at the Eden Gardens. In a crucial over, he dismissed both Shimron Hetmyer and Roston Chase, preventing the Caribbean side from posting an even bigger total and keeping India firmly in the contest. Speaking on a BBC podcast, Anderson admitted that Bumrah’s ability is so exceptional that other bowlers may struggle to replicate what he does. “The thing about Bumrah is, I look at him and think, I don’t think you can learn anything from him. Like, he’s an absolute freak. There’s not one bowler in the world in any format, men or women who can bowl six yorkers out of six and absolutely nail it every time. Even one of the yorkers, he bowled [vs England] in his last over was a slow ball. So he’s nailed five fast yorkers and one slowball yorker, like you can’t hit them anywhere,” Anderson praised Bumrah effusively. Anderson also pointed out that England’s batters handled Bumrah as well as they possibly could, choosing to play him cautiously rather than risk going after him. The veteran also felt that players like Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran made the right call by simply trying to survive Bumrah’s overs rather than target him. “England did really well to get six [balls] off the hole, like they squeezed the ball out. They actually played it pretty well because they thought we know that we can’t get boundaries off it or it’s going to be really hard to get boundaries off him. “So we’ll just take our chances against the other two at the other end. And they saw at the end Shivam Dube bowl in the last over went for 22 with Jofra Archer smacking him. I know the game was gone then, but he was trying to bowl a yorker and was missing by a decent amount. So it’s just a ridiculous skill. There’s no one or certainly in T20 cricket, there’s no one better than him,” Anderson explained. With praise of this magnitude coming from a fast-bowling legend like Anderson, Bumrah will head into the final brimming with even more belief as India look to lift the T20 World Cup trophy.

Syed Shahabuddin with Rachin Ravindra (Special Arrangements)

NEW DELHI: Do you still remember what happened to New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra in IPL 2024? Spin chewed his batting up and spat it out. And the situation became so severe that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were forced to drop him mid-way through the season. As they say, time is the best healer. And for Ravindra, it has surely become one. Spin, once Ravindra’s archnemesis, has inflicted the same pain on batters who have padded up to face the Kiwi during this T20 World Cup, with his fingers doing all the talking with the ball.Also See: IND vs NZ Live Score T20 Wolrd Cup 2026 Final

Emerging as his team’s top-wicket taker (11) in this edition, Ravindra is now seeing things differently. While his batting pedigree initially dominated the limelight, two more dismissals in the final against India will be enough to make him New Zealand’s joint highest wicket-taker in an edition of the tournament. A single dismissal will result in Ravindra surpassing Daniel Vettori as the Black Caps’ most successful spinner in a T20 World Cup campaign. If we broaden the scale a bit, the left-arm finger spinner has accounted for 11 dismissals in 8 matches at an economy rate of 6.88, trailing the edition’s most successful spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Adil Rashid by just two wickets.

‘Impact, role similar to Yuvraj Singh in WC 2011’

While Ravindra’s heroics may have caught the opposition and fans by surprise, Sriram Krishnamurthy, the global head coach of CSK academy, certainly isn’t one of them. Krishnamurthy, who has worked extensively with the 26-year-old cricketer, highlighted his bowling as one of the standout aspects from the beginning, terming it as something which came very naturally.

Syed Shahabuddin during a training session with Rachin Ravindra (Special Arrangements)

“Rachin is very good at reading the game. He’s not someone who bowls a lot during practice sessions. Yet, when he takes the ball, you know he’ll be able to do some special things. Rachin has excelled with the ball in the MLC and the Hundred, which makes his current performances no surprise. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has used him very well,” said Sriram during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.“Every spell of Rachin has left an impact. One of the most noteworthy aspects has been the manner in which he has struck against left-handed batters, being a lefty spinner in an unfavourable match-up, which especially stood out in the semi-final against South Africa with David Miller’s dismissal. I don’t think many people would disagree that his impact and role has been similar to that of Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 World Cup,” he added.Ravindra has provided an edge to the New Zealand bowling attack, with his shrewd gameplay and quality preparation, which first reflected in the opener against Afghanistan in Chennai. The 26-year-old all-rounder was handed the ball in the 18th over, which could have backfired massively. However, Rachin kept the ball well out of the batters’ reach from the onset, and was duly rewarded with the dismissal of dangerman Gulbadin Naib off his second delivery. The New Zealand cricketer has observed Ravindra Jadeja closely at CSK, resulting in valuable inputs.

‘Hard grind in Hyderabad before T20 WC 2026’

Another significant factor behind Rachin’s current success is an intense one-month camp in Hyderabad before the T20 World Cup, where the all-rounder worked extensively on hitting the right areas and variations. The New Zealand cricketer trained under ex-Andhra Pradesh captain Syed Shahabuddin, who urged him to bowl stump-to-stump and as per the field placements.“Ravindra can be lethal with assistance from the wicket, considering his consistency. I had encouraged the CSK team management to give him more opportunities with the ball but he hardly got one to two overs. Santner and the New Zealand think-tank is showing great belief in Ravindra’s bowling, which has proved to be a game-changer,” shared Shahabuddin.

Syed Shahabuddin with Rachin Ravindra (Special Arrangements)

While the fingerspinner has impressed with his high-impact gameplay, he once lacked agility and speed which hampered effectiveness. Former New Zealand coach Glenn Pocknall played a key role in enabling Ravindra to bowl at a quicker pace and deliver longer spells by developing his strength. The all-rounder showcased great dedication, training for six hours a day.“I first saw Rachin bowl at 15 and was deeply impressed by his unbelievable control and aura. It is very challenging to face him on flat wickets as well as turning tracks because he can spin the ball hard and into the wicket. Ex-New Zealand spinner Jeetan Patel has guided him extensively and I fully expect Rachin to pose a threat against India,” shared Pocknall.

‘Varun Chakaravarthy would’ve picked 15 wickets playing in Sri Lanka’

Chakaravarthy’s personal coach AC Prathiban praised Ravindra’s tactical astuteness, highlighting the lack of room for batters as well as the crafty use of angles to exploit the longer ends of the ground. However, Prathiban also directed focus towards New Zealand playing a lot of matches in Sri Lanka, where the advantage of bigger boundaries comes into play.

Syed Shahabuddin during a training session with Rachin Ravindra

“Jasprit Bumrah and Varun would have picked 15 wickets at least if the Indian team had bowled as much in those conditions. Mishits were going for sixes during the semi-final at the Wankhede. However, credit to Rachin for doing his homework,” stated Prathiban.Ravindra revealed a desire to make a batter’s life as hard as possible during an interaction after New Zealand secured a spot in the final, which the Indian juggernaut will be well wary of.

South Africa’s players (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Players from South Africa and West Indies have questioned the travel arrangements after their exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, claiming some teams were given priority flights home. While England national cricket team left Mumbai on a charter flight to London on Saturday after their semifinal loss, the South Africa national cricket team and West Indies national cricket team are still waiting in India due to flight disruptions linked to tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

South Africa were knocked out after losing to New Zealand national cricket team in the first semifinal in Kolkata, while West Indies exited following a five-wicket defeat to India national cricket team at Eden Gardens. Both teams are expected to travel together on a charter flight from Kolkata, although the exact departure time is still unclear.South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock publicly criticised the situation on social media. He wrote, “Funny @icc, we have heard nothing! Meanwhile, England are leaving before us somehow? @westindies and @proteasmencsa are just in the dark! Strange how different teams have more pull than others.”His teammate David Miller echoed the frustration, commenting, “Funny that England gets eliminated after WI & SA and gets on a charter back home tonight. While WI & SA still wait for answers in Kolkata.”West Indies head coach Daren Sammy supported the criticism, replying, “@davidmillersa12 a lil louder for those in the back to hear please sir.”Former England captain Michael Vaughan also questioned the situation, writing, “So England got knocked out on Thurs, get a charter home today .. West Indies go out last Sunday and are still in Kolkata .. SA in the same position .. That’s where the power is all wrong ..”He added, “All teams in this situation should be treated the same .. just because you are more powerful at the ICC table shouldn’t count .. #JustSaying.”The South Africa and West Indies squads are expected to fly to Johannesburg first, with the Caribbean team then continuing to Antigua. Meanwhile, the tournament final between India and New Zealand is set to take place at Narendra Modi Stadium.

T20 World Cup 2026: MS Dhoni arrives in Ahmedabad ahead of India vs New Zealand final

Former India captain MS Dhoni arrived in Ahmedabad on Sunday ahead of the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where India will face New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The 44-year-old had earlier watched India’s semi-final win over England in Mumbai and is likely to attend the title clash as well.Dhoni was present at the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium along with his wife Sakshi and several celebrities, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Anil Kapoor.

Cricketers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were also among those who watched India beat England in a thrilling contest.India, now led by Suryakumar Yadav, will be aiming to defend their title and create history by becoming the first host nation to win the T20 World Cup and the first team to claim three titles. Dhoni had famously led India to their first T20 World Cup triumph in 2007, when they defeated Pakistan national cricket team in the final.Watch Dhoni arriving in Ahmedabad:New Zealand, meanwhile, are chasing their maiden T20 World Cup title after finishing runners-up in 2021. Both teams come into the final after impressive semi-final wins. New Zealand hammered South Africa thanks to a stunning 33-ball century from Finn Allen, while India posted 253/7 against England and secured a narrow victory.Historically, the Black Caps have had the upper hand in T20 World Cup meetings against India, winning in 2007, 2016 and 2021. However, India head into the final in strong form after a recent 4-1 T20I series win over New Zealand at home.