CHAMPIONS NO GADH, AMDAVAD! Defending champions India clinched a record-extending third T20 Cup title by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in a one-sided 2026 final at our Gujarat no Gadh, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led India delivered a dominant performance with both bat and ball as they scripted history by becoming the first team to win back-to-back T20 Cup titles. 

The Gujarat Titans’ home and world’s largest cricket stadium, the NaMo Stadium also turned out to be lucky for the Men in Blue as they became the first-ever side to win the biennial World T20 tournament on home soil.

Put in to bat, opening batters Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma got India off to a dream start. Samson and Sharma slammed 92 runs in the first six overs to record the highest powerplay score in T20 Cups history. 

Meanwhile, Abhishek notched up his second fifty of the tournament, this time off just 18 balls, before he departed for a 21-ball 52.

New batter Ishan Kishan joined Samson, and the duo continued the onslaught to put the Kiwi bowlers under immense pressure.

At the other end, Sanju Samson continued his sensational form as he slammed his third consecutive fifty. 

Kishan also looked in great touch as he clobbered the New Zealand bowlers to all parts of the ground to register his half-century off just 23 balls in the 15th over.

While India lost Samson (89), Kishan (54) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (0) in the 16th over, the hosts later rode on Shivam Dube’s blistering cameo of 26 runs off just eight deliveries to post a mammoth 255/5, their second-highest total in T20 Cups history.

Defending a huge total, the Indian bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals to bundle out the Black Caps for 159 in 19 overs to etch their name in the history books at our Gujarat no Gadh.

For the Men in Blue, India’s bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was the wrecker-in-chief with match-winning figures of 4/15. With 14 wickets in eight games, Bumrah finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, alongside his teammate Varun Chakaravarthy.

“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,” Bumrah said at the post-match presentation.

Apart from Bumrah, another Gujarat-born left-arm spinner Axar Patel bagged three wickets, while Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma and Chakaravarthy chipped in with one scalp each.

With 321 runs in five matches, India’s swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson deservedly bagged the Player of the Tournament award.

“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,” Samson said after winning the award.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar became the third Indian captain to guide the Men in Blue to the T20 Cup title after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

"It has been a long journey. Started post-2024 T20 Cup when BCCI at that time, Jay (Shah) Bhai, at that time Secretary, Rohit (Sharma) Bhai and everyone, they showed faith in me, gave me an opportunity to lead this wonderful side and then it was a long, long, long cycle coming here again at the Narendra Modi Stadium and doing it. I think it’s a special feeling,” Suryakumar added at the post-match presentation.  

After a successful T20 Cup campaign, we’re all set for the upcoming edition of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL), starting on March 28. Aava De!