Narendra Modi Stadium, the biggest cricket stadium in the world, is set to host the T20 World Cup 2026 Final. Defending champions India take on New Zealand in what promises to be a blockbuster final on March 8. The Black Caps are aiming for their first T20 World Cup title, while India hopes to become the first country to win three T20 World Cup crowns. India holds an advantage over New Zealand in head-to-head T20I matches. The 'Men in Blue' have won 18 matches and lost 11 against the Kiwis. However, New Zealand have a 3-0 record against India in T20 World Cup matches. This will be the third time in the last five years that India and New Zealand will face each other in ICC finals, having played the World Test Championship final in 2021 and the Champions Trophy final in 2025. India arrives at the final with momentum following a gritty semi-final win over England, while New Zealand enters after a dominant 9-wicket demolition of South Africa. For the Indian fans, the excitement of yet another World Cup final could be overshadowed by the "Ahmedabad Jink." India’s Record at Ahmedabad According to the stats, India has enjoyed playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The 'Men in Blue' have a strong record of seven victories and three defeats in ten T20Is in Ahmedabad, including a historic 168-run victory over New Zealand in 2023. Despite promising numbers, the venue has since become associated with stressful heartbreak, with the 2023 ODI World Cup final defeat against Australia being the most noticeable scar. On this very turf, India stumbled following a ten-match winning streak and lost the final to a brilliant innings from Travis Head.During the Super 8 clash against South Africa in the ongoing World Cup, the ghost of Ahmedabad reappeared. India suffered their heaviest T20 World Cup defeat ever as they lost by 76 runs against the Proteas. When India enters the field for the final on Sunday, the challenge will be as much psychological as it is physical. The Suryakumar Yadav-led outfit will hope their fortunes at the Narendra Modi Stadium will change come Sunday as India aim to become the first team ever to successfully defend their T20 World Cup crown.
07 March,2026 12:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniAfter two back-to-back match-winning knocks against West Indies and England, India opener Sanju Samson wants to make an impact one more time against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final at Ahmedabad on Sunday. Samson, 31, who was not part of the playing XI when India started their T20 World Cup campaign against USA at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7, made his mark in the Super Eights game against WI in Kolkata on March 1, scoring an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls during India’s five-wicket win. On Thursday, his 42-ball 89 helped the hosts beat England by seven runs in the semi-final at Wankhede. “It feels great or really relieved as I’ve been trying for a few years to do something like this for my country. So, just waiting with a lot of patience, a lot of inner work, a lot of training, a lot of practice. I’m very grateful, but we have one more step to go. If we do that, then all the work, everything would be worth it. So, one more innings should be really good,” Samson said during the post-match press conference on Thursday. On the prospect of playing his maiden T20 World Cup final, Samson said: “It’s really one of the best moments in my life, so I’m very grateful for that.” Samson, 31, has scored 1310 runs in 61 T20Is with three centuries and five half-centuries, but was not known as a consistent performer. He only got an opportunity when attacking opener Abhishek Sharma (89 runs in seven games) failed in this tournament. Samson, who has scored 232 runs in four matches so far, revealed how he overcame his struggles. “I had to come back to my basics. When hard times were coming, my close people, the people who I love, were with me. I closed all my windows, shut down my phone, I was not on social media, I’m still not on social media, so less noise, less people interacting with me. That really helped me focus on the right direction and I’m very happy with how I’m going,” said Samson. 89No. of runs scored by Samson on Thursday — joint-highest score by an Indian in T20 World Cup knockouts alongside Virat Kohli (89* vs WI in 2016)
07 March,2026 12:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureTeam India stormed into the final with a commanding victory over England in the semi-final, powered once again by Sanju Samson’s brilliance. For the second knockout tie in a row, Samson was named Player of the Match — but he chose to dedicate his award to teammates Shivam Dube and Jasprit Bumrah, a gesture that epitomised the spirit of the game. Twice in succession, Sanju fell tantalisingly short of a century. But at the press conference he brushed aside personal milestones with a smile: “I haven’t missed two centuries. I have scored one 97 and one 89. It is a very big deal. I am very grateful for that. It’s going well.” A day after the semi-final, his father, Samson Viswanath, also emphasised on a similar perspective. “My son does not play for individual scores. He plays for the team. I am happy India won and I wish we continue our winning streak on Sunday,” Samson Sr told mid-day. Born in Kerala, Sanju Samson grew up in Delhi’s Police residential colony at GTB Nagar, where his father was posted as a constable. Sanju played junior cricket there, but after he was rejected by the Delhi U-13 team, his father, a former Delhi football player, took voluntary retirement from the police to help his son pursue cricket in Kerala. A young Sanju dreamt of becoming an IPS officer, but cricket became his destiny. His father’s sacrifice ensured that destiny was fulfilled.
07 March,2026 12:06 PM IST | Mumbai | Bipin DaniIndia vice-captain Axar Patel joked that the ball was "chasing" him throughout England's run chase after his individual brilliance on the field made a decisive difference in the defending champions' nervy seven-run win in the high-scoring T20 World Cup semifinal here. On a belter of a track at the Wankhede, 499 runs were scored with England just falling short in their mammoth chase of 254. India, who were guilty of dropping as many as 13 catches heading into the semifinals, upped their game on Thursday with Axar setting a rather high benchmark. He got rid of the dangerous Harry Brook and Will Jacks in two different yet important phases of the game. The in-form Brook perished in the powerplay and it was down to a superhuman effort of Axar, who ran 24m backwards from the cover position to pull off a stunning catch off a slow-cutter from Jasprit Bumrah. Axar's second act of sheer brilliance came in the 14th over when Jacob Bethell and Jacks threatened to take the game away from India. It was a wide full toss from Arshdeep Singh that Jacks sliced towards deep point and Axar scampered to his left to catch the ball before relaying it to Shivam Dube as he crossed the ropes. The grab of Jacks was more important considering the match situation but Axar felt the effort to dismiss Brook was a lot tougher. "When I took the first catch of Harry Brook, it was a very good catch for me, it was tough. But if you look at the situation and the way the England batsmen were batting, the catch of Will Jacks was very important to break the partnership at that time," he said. "If you ask me fielding-wise, Harry Brook catch was tougher. And yeah, luckily today, I thought the ball was chasing me (laughs)," added Axar when asked to pick between the two on-field moments of brilliance. With the highest total in a knock-out game in tournament history, India thought they had enough but Bethell played a blinder of a knock take the game down to the wire. The 77-run stand between Bethell and Jacks put India under pressure but Axar said they remained confident in the middle overs as they had two overs each from Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah in the bag. Bumrah just conceded six runs in the 18th over to tilt the game in India's favour. "At any point, we did not think that (the match was going away from their grasp). Simply because Arshdeep and Bumrah had two overs left. They have bowled well throughout the tournament. We thought we could contain them and that is what happened," said Axar. 'My son watching in Ahmedabad will be proud moment' India made a questionable call of benching Axar for two games in Ahmedabad against the Netherlands and the Super Eight game against South Africa. The move did not work as India lost badly to the Proteas. Axar also did not play the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad that India heartbreakingly lost to Australia. Three years later, he is certain to play an ICC final at home and he could not be more excited. The jovial character also saw the funny side of him not playing the two games at Ahmedabad earlier in the tournament. "I think, that's why I didn't play those two matches (as I had to play the final), because it is very important for me, that I have been waiting for so many years, that you play a match in front of your family on the home ground, it is a very proud moment. "I think, after two years, I will be playing on home ground, and that too, an ICC World Cup final, and yes, my son will also watch my first match live, and that is something that I am very proud of," said the all-rounder. Asked if the Ahmedabad jinx will be broken on Sunday, Axar's sense of humour came to the fore again. "I didn't play that game (the final), now I think the jinx will be broken," he laughed when reminded of the loss to Australia in the ODI showpiece finale. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 March,2026 12:02 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIDespite being disappointed after getting knocked out of the T20 World Cup following their semi-final defeat to India, England skipper Harry Brook insisted that he is extremely proud of the way England fought against the hosts during their seven-run loss at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. “Disappointed, but extremely proud. Couldn't ask for much more as a captain. We've had an amazing campaign and I said the other day that we're never out of games and that's proven again tonight [Thursday] that we were in the game all the way until the last over. I'm just extremely proud of the boys and all the boys should be extremely proud of themselves as well,” Brook said during the post-match press conference on Thursday. Brook also admitted that giving a new lease of life to Sanju Samson affected England’s campaign. The England skipper dropped an easy catch at mid-on from Samson when he was on 15, and then he went on to score a match-winning 89. “Yeah, catches win matches. Unfortunately, it didn't stay in my hands. It's just one of those things, I didn't catch it. He [Samson] played a very good innings as well and arguably won them the game,” Brook said. Brook, who was dismissed by pacer Jasprit Bumrah (1-33) through Axar Patel’s brilliant catch, lavished praise on Bumrah and rated him as the best bowler in the world. “He’s [Bumrah] a very good bowler, arguably the best of all time at the minute. And yeah, he's been a very good bowler for a long time,” Brook added.
07 March,2026 11:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureWest Indies players remained stranded in Kolkata for the fifth straight day after their exit from the T20 World Cup as international airspace restrictions triggered by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran continued to disrupt travel plans. While a charter flight has been arranged for the Caribbean side to return home, the local sources said the final air traffic approvals are awaited. "WI & SA both teams' departure details still awaited," a Cricket Association of Bengal official told PTI. However, the official said four South Africa players are likely to depart for New Zealand on Friday night for an upcoming bilateral series. "Four SA players might leave for NZ tonight... formal details awaited," the official added. The Windies were knocked out of the T20 World Cup after India defeated them by five wickets at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. South Africa's campaign in the T20 World Cup also ended after their defeat to New Zealand here in the first semifinal on Wednesday. The Proteas are scheduled to take on the Kiwis in a five-match T20I series in New Zealand beginning from March 15. It is still not clear when the rest of the South Africa squad will depart from the city. The Cricket West Indies had on Thursday confirmed that arrangements were being made for a charter flight to take the team back home after they remained stuck in the city for more than four days due to international airspace restrictions in the Gulf region. "During a high-level call earlier today involving CWI, ICC officials, a representative of team management, and a representative of the players, it was confirmed that a charter flight is currently being arranged for the team's departure from India, with the expected departure scheduled within the next 24 hours," CWI had said in a statement. "The departure time remains subject to final air traffic approvals. The team remains safe and well as arrangements continue to be finalized," the governing body had added. The CWI said it had been in constant touch with the players, team management and the International Cricket Council while working on travel arrangements. "While the situation remains complex and fluid due to international airspace restrictions arising from security concerns in the Gulf region, CWI assures the public that every precaution is being taken to ensure the safe return of the team to the Caribbean," the board had said. The development had come hours after West Indies head coach Daren Sammy voiced his frustration over the delay on social media in a post that he "just wanna go home". Following the arrangement he had posted "Got an update. That's all WI wanted." It is likely that some of the West Indies players will stay back to join their respective IPL franchises. The IPL is slated to begin this month-end. Rovman Powell is part of Kolkata Knight Riders, whose camp begins on March 18, while Sherfane Rutherford represents Mumbai Indians. Shimron Hetmyer plays for Rajasthan Royals and Romario Shepherd is with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who are expected to start training from March 15. Zimbabwe players who were also stranded in India due to the same reason have begun returning home in batches after the ICC arranged alternative travel routes via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 March,2026 10:21 AM IST | Kolkata | PTIJemimah Rodrigues fought bravely with a fifty but other India batters failed to counter the swing generated by Australian pacers Annabel Sutherland and debutant Lucy Hamilton, getting bundled out for a lowly 198 on the opening day of the one-off day-night Test here on Friday. Rodrigues (52, 84b) looked fluent but did not have much backing from the rest of her colleagues. The Indian pacers maintained a fine line outside the off-stump to nick off three Aussie top-order batters as the home side was placed at 96 for three at close. Australia trail by 102 runs. The Aussies elected to field, and the decision proved right by Sutherland (4/46) and Hamilton (3/31) who bowled at a fair clip and produced disconcerting movement. Left-arm pacer Hamilton struck the first blow, removing Smriti Mandhana in the sixth over itself, with a peach that came into the left-hander. Shafali Verma (35) looked good for more, but Sutherland managed to move the ball just the right amount to find her outside edge for stumper Beth Mooney to finish the formalities. Debutant Pratika Rawal (18), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (19) and Deepti Sharma (7) departed without making any significant contributions, as India slipped to 107 for five. But a 43-run association between Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh (11, 41b) for the sixth wicket carried India to 150. However, Rodrigues and Ghosh fell to Hamilton and Ash Gardner in the space of an over as India once again found themselves in trouble at 150 for seven. A 38-run alliance between the two other Indian debutants -- Kashvee Gautam (34 not out) and Sayali Satghare (7, 35b) -- for the ninth wicket helped India move closer to 200. However, pacer Satghare (8-1-24-2) had an even better moment soon when she castled Aussie opener Georgia Voll (2) with a prodigiously swung delivery. It started moving in from the off-stump line and went past Voll's defence to rattle her leg-stump. India managed to dismiss an edgy Phoebe Litchfield (9) and skipper Alyssa Healy (13), who is playing her final match for Australia, to reduce the Aussies to 58 for three. But Ellyse Perry (43 batting) and Sutherland (20 batting) helped the hosts to navigate through the rest of the night without any damage. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 March,2026 10:19 AM IST | Perth | PTI17.1Bumrah, steaming in round the wicket to the left-handed Sam Curran, unleashes his trademark weapon to start the over — a pinpoint yorker aimed right at the batter’s toes. Curran could do little more than jam the ball back towards the bowler... NO RUN 17.2Bumrah goes for the yorker again, this time it’s pitched further, near the stumps. Curran manages to dig it out and flicks it along the ground to long-on, where substitute Rinku Singh fields comfortably... ONE RUN 17.3With the in-form Jacob Bethell (94* off 42 balls) on strike and just one shot away from his century, Bumrah outfoxes him with a slower one, nailing his third pinpoint yorker in a row. Bethell can only squeeze it out towards the on-side... ONE RUN 17.4Bumrah misses his mark slightly here, bowling a low full toss on Curran’s pads and the batter flicks it to deep midwicket, where Axar Patel picks it up... TWO RUNS 17.5Bumrah bowls another low full toss. This time Curran can only manage a gentle push towards mid-on towards Rinku... ONE RUN 17.6Bumrah ends his spell with another yorker. Bethell pushes it through deep midwicket towards Axar... ONE RUN
07 March,2026 08:14 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentBatting icon Sunil Gavaskar reckons Sunday’s T20 World Cup summit clash between the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team and Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand outfit will be “a great final.” Gavaskar, a member of India’s 1983 ODI World Cup-winning team, felt the hosts have a good chance of winning their third T20 World Cup title as different players have contributed to the team’s victories in every game and they are not dependent on any one individual. “It’s going to be a wonderful final because New Zealand have played some outstanding cricket as well. India have kept their nerve in two or three close matches. So I think that stands very well for India, because India have found somebody or the other to come in, not necessarily depending on any one particular person. So I do believe it’s going to be a great final,” Gavaskar told reporters on the sidelines of the DP World Celebrity Golf Event — a charity initiative aimed at creating awareness for the former India captain’s CHAMPS Foundation in Chembur on Friday. The MS Dhoni-led Indian team clinched the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa when they beat Pakistan by five runs at Johannesburg. Rohit Sharma’s side outclassed South Africa by seven runs in the 2024 final at Bridgetown, and now Gavaskar feels it’s Suryakumar’s turn to make history by winning a record third T20 World Cup. “I’m just hoping that all of you will be praying and wishing for India to repeat history and defeat history,” Gavaskar added.
07 March,2026 08:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureHarry Brook received a painful reminder of the consequences of not holding on to catches, while himself being at the receiving end of one of two slices of brilliance from Axar Patel in England’s T20 World Cup semi-final against India. England’s cocky captain shelled a regulation offering in the third over at Wankhede when Sanju Samson lashed out at Jofra Archer. The ball travelled at a good pace and height to mid-on, where Brook put down a straightforward chance. Then, 15 out of 24-1, Samson England for 89 off just 42, the single biggest contributor to his team’s 253-7. Every run Samson scored after that let-off was a dagger to English hearts, and to Brook. The skipper knew he owed his side plenty as England sought to mount the highest chase in T20I history but perished for just seven. Foxed by Jasprit Bumrah’s first ball, a slower delivery that did Brook in the air and elicited an uppish, one-handed drive over cover, Brook watched in consternation as Axar Patel turned around from cover and ran a good 25 yards at least, his eyes on the ball and his hands cupping the little sphere with surety even when he went sprawling after completing the deed. It was a rare moment of luminescence for India’s catching, abysmally sub-par in the World Cup until that point. India dropped 13 catches in their first seven games, the most by any side; even as a one-off, it would have been alarming, but coming as it did after a Test series in England were 20 chances were spilled and the Asia Cup when Bangladesh’s Saif Hassan alone was dropped four times in one night, it pointed to a serious structural flaw that, somehow, hadn’t degenerated into utter collapse. Axar struck two terrific blows for Indian catching on Thursday night. If the Brook dismissal spoke volumes of his agility, his anticipation and his composure, his role in Will Jacks’s downfall was even more influential, though the catch went down in Shivam Dube’s name. Jacks and centurion Jacob Bethell had put on 77 when Axar ran to his left from deep cover to hold on to a sliced drive off an Arshdeep Singh full toss. Axar completed the catch alright, but realised he was about to step over the rope, so he gently lobbed the ball for Shivam Dube to do the rest. Great catching and even greater awareness from the understated vice-captain with nothing to prove. 24 metres The distance Axar Patel ran backward from the cover region to pull off a stunner to dismiss England skipper Harry Brook
07 March,2026 08:02 AM IST | Mumbai | R KaushikNew Zealand is all set to lock horns with Team India in the title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026. The match is scheduled to be played on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Speaking ahead of the clash, New Zealand's Glenn Phillips heaped praise on Team India's premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah by saying that he is a fantastic bowler. He also stated that Bumrah is a human as well and is allowed to have a bad day. "We had a really good trip against him in the bilateral series as well. But he's a class bowler. Bumrah is a fantastic bowler. He's got so many variations. He hits the block hole at the death overs incredibly well. He is human as well. He is allowed to have a bad day, as are the rest of us. So hopefully, we have a good day against him," he said. "But that also means that if he does bowl well, we do have to, I guess, accommodate for other things and adapt on the fly," added Phillips. Ahead of the match, the cricket fans will keep a tab on Team India's in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson. In the previous two innings, the right-handed batsman delivered big knocks for the "Men in Blue". In the clash against the West Indies, Samson smashed an unbeaten 97 runs off 50 deliveries, laced with 12 boundaries and four maximums. Later in the contest against England, the Kerala-born cricketer accumulated 89 runs in 42 balls, with the help of eight boundaries and seven maximums. On the other hand, the "Black Caps" will also expect their opening batsman, Tim Seifert, to replicate his knock from the previous match. In the clash against South Africa, he registered an unbeaten 100 runs off 33 balls, including 10 boundaries and eight maximums. T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs NZ: Full Squads India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma. New Zealand: James Neesham, Devon Conway (WK), Cole McConchie, Daryl Mitchell, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell Santner (C), Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Seifert (WK), Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra. (With ANI Inputs)
06 March,2026 10:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
