India’s cricketing dreams materialized in spectacular fashion at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, where they demolished New Zealand by 96 runs to lift the T20 World Cup 2026 trophy—their third in history. Jasprit Bumrah stole the show with a match-defining 4/15, clinching the Player of the Match award on his beloved home turf.
Reflecting on the milestone, Bumrah said, ‘This is extra special. I faced a final loss here in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Winning today heals that wound.’
Tackling the true-bounce pitch, he delved into his tactical adjustments. ‘Flat wickets test you fully. I was over-effort-ing before this event despite good bowling. Here, I trusted the process, leaned on my strengths. Player of the Match in a home World Cup final—pure bliss.’
His cutters and slower ones were game-changers. ‘Experience from local flat tracks taught me: too much pace aids the batter. I bowled cleverly, decoding their intentions.’
Bumrah applauded the attack’s unity. ‘Huddle talks overflow with plans. We chatted seamlessly under fire, remained ice-cool. Pressure-handling teams triumph, and we proved it.’
India’s batsmen fired first, amassing 255/5 with Sanju Samson (89) leading the charge alongside Abhishek Sharma (52) and Ishan Kishan (54). Kiwis managed only 159 in 19 overs, as India’s bowlers, led by Bumrah, ran riot.