Ahmedabad: Gautam Gambhir hailed India's triumph in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, saying the victory reflected the "plan of 1.4 billion Indians" after the team defeated the New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, the India national cricket team dominated the final against a New Zealand side led by Mitchell Santner to successfully defend their T20 World Cup title.
The win marked several milestones for India. The team became the first to win a T20 World Cup on home soil, the first to secure back-to-back titles after their triumph in 2024, and the first nation to lift the trophy three times following victories in 2007, 2024 and 2026.
Reacting to the historic victory in a post on X, Gambhir praised the entire squad.
"This wasn't just God's plan; it was the plan of 1.4 billion Indians! Each player is a WORLD CHAMPION!" he wrote.
The latest triumph further strengthens Gambhir's record as India's head coach in white-ball cricket. Under his tenure, India has won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Asia Cup 2025 and now the T20 World Cup.
Gambhir has also enjoyed success in franchise cricket, guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to an Indian Premier League title as a mentor. As a player, the Delhi-born cricketer had earlier won the T20 World Cup, the 50-over World Cup, the Asia Cup and the IPL.
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India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 final highlights
In the final, Santner won the toss and opted to field first. However, the decision backfired as India's batters produced a powerful display.
A return-to-form half-century from Abhishek Sharma - 52 off 21 balls, including six fours and three sixes - set the tone early. He added a 98-run partnership with Sanju Samson, putting New Zealand under pressure.
Samson then built another century partnership with Ishan Kishan, who scored 54 off 25 balls with four boundaries and four sixes, helping India cross the 200-run mark in the 16th over.
A late burst from Shivam Dube, who smashed 26 not out from just eight balls, powered India to 255/5, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.
For New Zealand, James Neesham was the most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 46 runs.
Chasing a daunting target of 256, New Zealand struggled against India's bowling attack. Axar Patel (3/23) and Jasprit Bumrah (4/15) dismantled the top order, reducing the Kiwis to 72/5.
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Despite a fighting half-century from Tim Seifert, who scored 52 off 26 balls, New Zealand could not recover. A brief partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Santner failed to change the outcome as wickets continued to fall.
New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159 runs, handing India a comprehensive 96-run victory and confirming their dominance in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
ANI