# 2026 Men's T20 World Cup final
The 2026 Men's T20 World Cup final was a [Twenty20 International](https://www.edgepedia.org/twenty20-international) cricket match played on 8 March 2026 at the [Narendra Modi Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/narendra-modi-stadium) in [Ahmedabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/ahmedabad), India, in which India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup for a record third time[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e). India posted 255 for 5, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final, and bowled New Zealand out for 159 in 19 overs[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026). The crowd was reported at more than 86,000 spectators[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result | India beat New Zealand by 96 runs on 8 March 2026[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e) |
| Venue | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, before a crowd of more than 86,000[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e) |
| Scores | India 255/5 (20 overs); New Zealand 159 all out (19 overs)[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026) |
| Batting record | Sanju Samson's 89 off 46 balls, the highest individual score in a men's T20 World Cup final[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e) |
| Bowling record | Jasprit Bumrah's 4/15, a four-wicket haul in a T20 World Cup final[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory) • [6](https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/cricket/2012/Oct/07/west-indies-crowned-world-twenty20-champions-413110.html) |
| Significance | India's third title (after 2007 and 2024), the first successful defense and the first home win in the tournament's history[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026) |
| Player of the tournament | Sanju Samson, with 321 runs at an average of 80.25[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e) |
## India's innings
India lost the toss and batted first[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e). Openers [Sanju Samson](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanju-samson) and [Abhishek Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/abhishek-sharma) shared a 98-run stand, India's longest opening partnership of the tournament, and the first opening pair to add 50 or more in a T20 World Cup final[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). India reached 92 for 0 in the six-over powerplay, the joint-highest powerplay score in T20 World Cup history, equaling [West Indies](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-indies)' 92 for 1 against Afghanistan in the 2024 edition[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory) • [1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e).
Sharma reached fifty in 18 balls, the fastest half-century of the tournament and the fastest in a T20 World Cup knockout match, before falling for 52 off 21 to [Rachin Ravindra](https://www.edgepedia.org/rachin-ravindra)[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026) • [3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). Samson then added 105 runs in 48 balls with [Ishan Kishan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ishan-kishan) for the second wicket; Kishan made 54 off 25[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). Samson's 89 came from 46 balls with five fours and eight sixes, his third consecutive half-century of the knockout stage[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e) • [3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory).
James Neesham briefly checked the scoring, taking three wickets in one over as India slipped from 203 for 2 to 204 for 4, with [Suryakumar Yadav](https://www.edgepedia.org/suryakumar-yadav) out for a golden duck[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). [Shivam Dube](https://www.edgepedia.org/shivam-dube) then hit 26 not out off 8 balls, including 24 runs off the final over bowled by Neesham, taking India past 250[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). India's 19 fours and 18 sixes produced 184 runs in boundaries[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory).
## New Zealand's chase
New Zealand lost Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, and [Glenn Phillips](https://www.edgepedia.org/glenn-phillips-cricketer) cheaply and were reduced to 47 for 3[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). [Axar Patel](https://www.edgepedia.org/axar-patel), brought on early to counter Allen, took 3 for 27 in three overs on his home ground[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). Tim Seifert offered the only resistance, hitting five sixes in a 26-ball 52 before falling to Varun Chakaravarthy, whose 14th wicket of the tournament moved him to the top of the wicket-taking list[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory).
[Jasprit Bumrah](https://www.edgepedia.org/jasprit-bumrah) took 4 for 15 in four overs, dismissing Ravindra with his first ball and later removing Neesham and Matt Henry; Ajantha Mendis had previously taken 4 for 12 in the 2012 final[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory) • [6](https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/cricket/2012/Oct/07/west-indies-crowned-world-twenty20-champions-413110.html). New Zealand were all out for 159 in 19 overs[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e).
## Road to the final
India reached the final by beating England in a semi-final at the [Wankhede Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/wankhede-stadium) in Mumbai in which the two sides combined for 499 runs, the highest match aggregate in T20 World Cup history and the second highest in all T20 Internationals; India scored 253 for 7 and England 246 for 7[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026). India had entered the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2024 title against South Africa by seven runs[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e).
The final was played at the same stadium where India had lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory). For New Zealand, it was a fifth consecutive defeat in the final of an ICC white-ball world event over 11 years[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory).
## Records and aftermath
The result made India the first team to win three Men's T20 World Cup titles, the first to win back-to-back titles, and the first host nation to win the tournament[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026). It was India's fourth appearance in a T20 World Cup final, a record for the competition[4](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/india-stand-alone-at-the-top-after-t20-world-cup-2026-win-delivers-a-storm-of-all-time-records-101772996857351.html). Samson's 89 surpassed the previous highest individual score in a final, and his tournament aggregate of 321 runs at 80.25 earned him the player-of-the-tournament award[1](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e).
India pacer Arshdeep Singh was fined 15 percent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the final[5](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/india-bowler-sanctioned-for-incident-during-t20wc-final).
## References
1. [Brilliant India crushes New Zealand by 96 runs to win Twenty20 World Cup for a record 3rd time, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/5461fd654307835216341c9f0fa2b69e)
2. [All records broken at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/all-records-broken-at-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2026)
3. [History scripted as India capture T20 World Cup crown, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/live-india-new-zealand-chase-world-cup-glory)
4. [India stand alone at the top after T20 World Cup 2026 win delivers a storm of all-time records, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/india-stand-alone-at-the-top-after-t20-world-cup-2026-win-delivers-a-storm-of-all-time-records-101772996857351.html)
5. [India bowler sanctioned for incident during T20WC final, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/news/india-bowler-sanctioned-for-incident-during-t20wc-final)
6. [West Indies crowned World Twenty20 champions](https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/cricket/2012/Oct/07/west-indies-crowned-world-twenty20-champions-413110.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket competitions and records › Individual matches and results › Notable individual Tests and first-class matches › Notable Tests and first-class matches — overview*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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