Sumptuous India script history with third T20 World Cup title win
The largest cricket stadium in the world – Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad – was encapsulated in a whirlwind of emotions as Team India created history by lifting the ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy.
The record-breaking night saw Team India become the first side to win the Men's T20 World Cup three times, the first team to defend the title, and the first team to win the Men's T20 World Cup at home, as they beat New Zealand by 96 runs on a historic night in Ahmedabad. Sanju Samson was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his 321 runs, including three fifties.
In the final, India posted a mammoth 255/5 on the board with Sanju Samson once again top-scoring with 89(46). He was ably supported by Abhishek Sharma's fiery 52(21) and Ishan Kishan's brilliant 54(25). Jasprit Bumrah led the charge with the ball with magnificent figures of 4/15 and vice-captain Axar Patel chipped in with 3/27 as India scripted history with a massive win.
A formidable campaign saw Team India lose just one match en route to the title. A brilliant comeback win against the USA kickstarted their campaign as captain Suryakumar Yadav's masterful 84 powered India to a 29-run victory in Mumbai.
A solid batting and bowling effort against Namibia saw them cruise to a 93-run win in Delhi. The winning juggernaut then moved to Colombo, where another collective batting, bowling, and fielding performance powered them to a thumping 61-run win over Pakistan. Ishan Kishan laid the foundation with a superb 77(40) to help Team India post 175 before the bowlers started off in blistering fashion to pick up four wickets inside the powerplay and eventually bowl the opposition out for 114.
A fourth win in a row followed as a crucial middle-order batting effort and a brilliant all-round show from Shivam Dube (66 off 31 & 2/35) propelled them to a hard-fought 17-run win over the Netherlands in Ahmedabad as they cruised into the Super Eights.
The Super Eights did not start on the right note as they suffered a 76-run loss to South Africa. They, however, bounced back in strong fashion, putting on a batting masterclass by posting the second-highest total in the history of the T20 World Cup – and their own highest – 256/4 against Zimbabwe. The bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (3/24), restricted Zimbabwe to 184/6 in a must-win match.
In a virtual quarter-final clash, Sanju Samson stepped up and smashed a sublime 97*(50) to script an Eden special as India chased down 196 against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
He carried forward the momentum in Mumbai with a sumptuous 89(42) against England in the semis to help India post a formidable 253/7. England fought hard, with Jacob Bethell scoring a brilliant maiden T20I century, but a couple of outstanding catches from Axar Patel, coupled with superb slog-overs bowling led by the ever-reliable Jasprit Bumrah, helped India cross the finish line and qualify for their fourth T20 World Cup final where they beat New Zealand comfortably to create history.
