India crush New Zealand to win record third T20 World Cup title

By Alam Zeb Safi
AHMEDABAD: India powered to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title with a stunning 96-run victory over New Zealand after an explosive batting display and a devastating spell from Jasprit Bumrah in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Riding on a blistering 89 from Sanju Samson, India posted a towering 255 for five before bundling New Zealand out for 159 in 19 overs to lift the trophy in front of a roaring crowd of more than 86,000.
The victory capped a dominant tournament for India and earned Samson the player of the series award while Bumrah’s four-wicket haul secured him player of the match honors.
After New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to field, India’s opening pair unleashed immediate aggression.
Abhishek Sharma tore into the bowling attack, racing to a fifty off just 18 balls in one of the fastest knocks of the tournament. His 52 from 21 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes, propelled India to 92 without loss in the powerplay. And that was a smart base.
At the other end, Samson built the innings with controlled power hitting, mixing boundaries with towering sixes as the run rate surged past 12 an over.
Sharma eventually fell to Rachin Ravindra but India continued the assault as Ishan Kishan joined Samson to add a rapid 105-run partnership for the second wicket.
Kishan struck 54 off 25 balls, hammering four fours and four sixes while Samson reached 89 from 46 deliveries before being dismissed by James Neesham.
A brief wobble saw captain Suryakumar Yadav fall for a first-ball duck and Kishan depart shortly before but a late flourish from Shivam Dube, who smashed an unbeaten 26 from eight balls, lifted India to a daunting total of 255 for five.
Neesham was the most successful bowler for New Zealand with three wickets, though he conceded 46 runs.
Chasing 256, New Zealand’s hopes quickly faded as India’s bowlers struck early.
Opener Finn Allen fell for nine before Ravindra was dismissed for one, leaving New Zealand struggling inside the powerplay.
Wicketkeeper Tim Seifert provided resistance with a counterattacking 52 from 26 balls but regular wickets prevented the chase from gaining momentum.
Spin all-rounder Axar Patel struck three crucial blows, removing Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell and Seifert to derail the middle order.
Bumrah then delivered the decisive burst, claiming four wickets for just 15 runs, including Santner, Neesham and Matt Henry, as New Zealand were bowled out for 159.
The emphatic victory secured India the T20 world title after a tournament marked by aggressive batting and disciplined bowling.

Full Scorecard
India – 255/5 (20 overs)
Sanju Samson † c sub (McConchie) b Neesham – 89 (46)
Abhishek Sharma c Seifert b Ravindra – 52 (21)
Ishan Kishan c Chapman b Neesham – 54 (25)
Hardik Pandya c Santner b Henry – 18 (13)
Suryakumar Yadav (c) c Ravindra b Neesham – 0 (1)
Tilak Varma not out – 8 (6)
Shivam Dube not out – 26 (8)

Extras: 8 (w 8)

Total: 255/5 in 20 overs

Fall of wickets: 98-1 (Sharma, 7.1), 203-2 (Samson, 15.1), 204-3 (Kishan, 15.5), 204-4 (Yadav, 15.6), 226-5 (Pandya, 18.2)

Bowling:
Matt Henry 4-0-49-1
Glenn Phillips 1-0-5-0
Jacob Duffy 3-0-42-0
Lockie Ferguson 2-0-48-0
Mitchell Santner 4-0-33-0
Rachin Ravindra 2-0-32-1
James Neesham 4-0-46-3

New Zealand – 159 all out (19 overs)

Tim Seifert † c Kishan b Varun Chakravarthy – 52 (26)
Finn Allen c Tilak Varma b Axar Patel – 9 (7)
Rachin Ravindra c Kishan b Bumrah – 1 (2)
Glenn Phillips b Patel – 5 (5)
Mark Chapman b Hardik Pandya – 3 (8)
Daryl Mitchell c Kishan b Patel – 17 (11)
Mitchell Santner (c) b Bumrah – 43 (35)
James Neesham b Bumrah – 8 (7)
Matt Henry b Bumrah – 0 (1)
Lockie Ferguson not out – 6 (7)
Jacob Duffy c Tilak Varma b Abhishek Sharma – 3 (5)

Extras: 12 (b 4, lb 1, w 7)

Total: 159 all out in 19 overs

Fall of wickets: 31-1 (Allen, 2.4), 32-2 (Ravindra, 3.1), 47-3 (Phillips, 4.5), 70-4 (Chapman, 7.4), 72-5 (Seifert, 8.1), 124-6 (Mitchell, 12.5), 141-7 (Neesham, 15.3), 141-8 (Henry, 15.4), 152-9 (Santner, 17.3), 159-10 (Duffy, 18.6)

Bowling:
Arshdeep Singh 4-0-32-0
Hardik Pandya 4-0-36-1
Axar Patel 3-0-27-3
Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-15-4
Varun Chakravarthy 3-0-39-1
Abhishek Sharma 1-0-5-1

Result: India won by 96 runs.
Player of the Match: Jasprit Bumrah
Player of the Series: Sanju Samson.