India etched their name into cricketing history this evening, demolishing New Zealand by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.
The defending champions became the first nation ever to retain the men's T20 World Cup crown, achieving the feat before more than 100,000 ecstatic supporters.
Batting first, India amassed a staggering 255 for five, establishing a new record for the highest total in a T20 World Cup final.
The comprehensive triumph also marked the first occasion a team has lifted the trophy on home soil, capping a dominant tournament performance from the pre-competition favourites.
India's incredible 255 runs and wonderful bowling saw them thrash New Zealand
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Sanju Samson delivered a masterclass of power and precision, hammering 89 runs from just 46 deliveries in an innings that combined raw strength with elegant strokeplay.
The wicketkeeper-batsman struck eight towering sixes, dispatching the ball over long-on, square leg and down the ground with equal authority.
His partnership with Abhishek Sharma proved devastating, the pair plundering 98 runs from merely 43 balls during their opening stand.
Abhishek blazed to his half-century in a remarkable 21 deliveries, whilst Ishan Kishan maintained the onslaught with 54 from 25 balls.
Together, India's top three all reached fifty, a first in men's T20 World Cup history.
India also became the first ever country to defend the T20 World Cup
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New Zealand's pursuit of the mammoth target crumbled almost immediately, losing Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips within the opening five overs.
Tim Seifert offered resistance with a defiant 52 from 26 balls, whilst captain Mitchell Santner contributed 43 in a losing cause.
However, Jasprit Bumrah proved utterly unplayable, bamboozling the lower order with his trademark dipping offcutters.
The pace spearhead finished with exceptional figures of four wickets for just 15 runs from his four overs.
Axar Patel claimed three scalps as New Zealand were dismissed for 159 in 19 overs, their challenge extinguished long before the final ball.
The victory provided sweet redemption on the very ground where India had faltered under immense pressure against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium was bouncing throughout the contest
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This triumph completes a remarkable treble of white-ball tournament victories, following the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
A new generation has now seized the mantle following the T20 retirements of legends Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja.
For New Zealand, defeat adds to their catalogue of final heartbreak, joining losses in the 2015, 2019 and 2021 World Cup showpieces.
The Black Caps had also fallen to India in last year's final in Dubai.