India thrash Black Caps by 96 runs to retain T20 World Cup title
Another final. Another not to be for the Black Caps. And this one wasn’t even close.
The final defeats keep adding up for New Zealand as hosts India cruised to a 96-run win in Ahmedabad to defend their T20 World Cup title.
Beating the host nation in a final was always going to be a tall order but the Black Caps did themselves no favours as India made the most of wayward bowling to amass the third-highest total at a Twenty20 World Cup match, reaching 255 for five, after being sent in by Mitchell Santner.
Their innings was set up brilliantly by openers Sanju Samson (89 from 46) and Abhishek Sharma (52 from 21), with the pair putting on 98 from the first seven overs as the New Zealand bowling attack just didn’t have an answer. Poor length and misdirected slower balls were consistently put away to the boundary.
After Sharma was eventually removed by a wide delivery from Rachin Ravindra, edging behind to Tim Seifert, Samson then added a century stand with Ishan Kishan (52 from 25 balls) which took the game away from the Black Caps.
New Zealand had very few answers with the ball, especially their pace attack, with Matt Henry (1-49), Jacob Duffy (0-42) and Lockie Ferguson (0-48) all punished. James Neesham took three in an over, which looked to stem the tide somewhat before returning for the final over and conceding 24 runs to ensure India passed the 250 mark for the second straight knockout game and third time in this World Cup.
The Black Caps were left chasing a score two runs more than their highest ever T20 total, which came against Scotland. But they were similarly stumped with the bat, being bowled out for 159 with an over to spare.
To have a chance, they needed semi-final hero Finn Allen to replicate his ton against South Africa but he departed in the third over for nine – after being dropped on zero.
Fellow opener Seifert at least gave the Black Caps some early hope with 52 from 26 balls but wickets kept falling around him, first Ravindra for one and then Glenn Phillips for five, which left New Zealand 47 for three.
When Seifert departed for a well-struck half century, New Zealand were 72 for five and the required run rate was already above 16. But with veterans Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner at the crease, there was still home hope, albeit slim.
They put on 52 runs, but not at a quick enough pace before Mitchell was caught in the deep for 17. Jasprit Bumrah then struck twice in an over before removing Santner to finish with 4-15 in a man of the match performance, though to be fair the game was well in India’s hands before Bumrah stood at the end of his run-up for the first time.
“Proud of the boys to make it this far. Obviously we had some challenges throughout but at each stage we put up a good fight. Today we got outplayed by a great team in front of a great crowd,” Santner said.
“To see a big sea of blue, obviously India were home favourites. Playing a home World Cup comes with a lot of pressure. But yeah SKY [Suryakumar Yadav] and the boys should be very very proud. Different guys stood up at different stages. In the Super Eight and semi-finals we put up a good fight but tonight we were obviously outplayed.”
For the Black Caps it is a second final defeat at the T20 World Cup, after falling to Australia by eight wickets in 2021, and sixth loss in a white ball final.
They also lost back-to-back ODI finals in 2015 and 2019 and two Champions Trophy finals in 2009 and last year. Their only win coming at the defunct Knockout Trophy in 2000 when they beat India.
India win by 96 runs
Cameron McMillan
Jacob Duffy is caught on the boundary and that it that. It's been over for about 30 minutes but confirmed now. A crushing win for India who defend their T20 title at home.
Bumrah finishes with 4-15
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Any other game that would be worthy of man of the match but think that honour will go to Sanju Samson.
Out comes Jacob Duffy
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Never a good sign when your number 11 puts on the pads in a T20.
Wicket - Mitchell Santner bowled Bumrah 43
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Bumrah has his fourth, once again bowled and the Black Caps skipper leaves.
17 overs - New Zealand 152/8
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Nine runs from that over. Bumrah now to bowl his last.
16 overs - New Zealand 142/8 - 113 needed off 24 balls
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Two wickets in the over for Bumrah. This is now the highest total aggregate in a T20 World Cup match between these two teams. India doing the heavy lifting on that stat.
Bumrah on a hat-trick
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86,000 fans will be going crazy. Tries the yorker but Lockie Ferguson does well to play it out.
Wicket - Matt Henry bowled Bumrah 0
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And two in two.
Wicket - Jimmy Neesham bowled Bumrah 8
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15 overs: New Zealand 139/6 - 117 needed off 30 balls
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All seems inevitable which is rare for a T20 game.
14 overs: New Zealand 134/6 - 122 needed off 36 balls
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No boundaries off that Hardik over and he finishes with 1-36 from his four overs.
Review for LBW
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India go upstairs as Santner is hit on the foot but just pitching outside the line so not out.
Wicket - Daryl Mitchell caught Ishan bowled Patel 17
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And that should be it. Mitchell caught in the deep.
Dropped
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Hardik puts Santner down. And next ball Hardik lets one through him and it goes to the boundary.
12 overs: New Zealand 119/5 - 137 needed of 48
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16 off the over with two sixes for Santner. But they need more than that an over now.
Make that 146
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As Santner goes down the ground.
150 needed from 51 balls
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Mitchell is fired up
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Arshdeep throws the ball back at him and hits the Black Caps batter. He never left his crease. Bowler has no business throwing that.
Six again
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Mitchell goes back-to-back of Arshdeep.
Six
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Mitchell is caught by Ishan but he takes the ball over the rope.
10 overs: New Zealand 87/5 - 168 from 60 balls
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Singles won't do it when you need more than 16 an over.
Ninth over: New Zealand 83/5 - 176 from 66 balls
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That target still is a very long way away.
Wicket - Tim Seifert caught Kishan bowled Varun 52
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And that might be it for the Black Caps. Seifert caught in the deep by Kishan with another great catch.
In comes Daryl Mitchell
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Can he produce a match-winning knock?
Wicket - Mark Chapman bowled Hardik 3
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Chapman chops on and New Zealand lose a fourth wicket. Shorter ball which he went to cut.
Seventh over: New Zealand 68/3 - 188 to win
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More like it from Seifert and that's 16 from the over.
And another - 50 for Seifert
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Brings up his 50 in 23 balls with his fifth six.
Six for Seifert
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Another one out of the ground.
Tilak Varma into bowl
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Powerplay
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India were 92-0 after six overs. New Zealand 52-3.
Sixth over: New Zealand 52/3 - 204 to win
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Another great over from Bumrah. Just three singles and a two from it. New Zealand now need 14.57 an over.
Fifth over: New Zealand 47/3 - 209 to win
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11 off the over, was looking good after a Seifert six and then a four from Phillips. But another wicket. What New Zealand lacked when they were bowling, regular wickets.
Wicket - Glenn Phillips bowled Patel 5
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Straight through Phillips and there goes New Zealand's third.
Fourth over: New Zealand 35/2 - 220 to win
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The wickets have slowed the innings down and New Zealand really in a hole now. Just four off that Bumrah over.
Wicket - Rachin Ravindra caught Kishan bowled Bumrah 1
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The slower ball gets Ravindra. Great catch in the deep by Ishan Kishan.
Now Bumrah for the first time of the final
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Third over: New Zealand 32/1
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And the run rate required lifts again with just seven from that over as well as the wicket of Allen.
Wicket - Finn Allen caught Tilak b Patel 9
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Allen finds the fielder at long on and India strike with spin.
Axar Patel to bowl
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A bit of spin now for India.
Second over: New Zealand 25/0 - 231 to win
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Seifert looking great early on. Two sixes and two fours from the over.
Six again
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And Seifert then ramps Hardik over the boundary.
Six for Seifert
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Ok. More of those please. Seifert sends Hardik over the long on boundary.
Hardik Pandya bowling second over
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First over: NZ 4/0 - Need 252 to win
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No boundaries in the opening over but will that drop chance come back to haunt India?
Dropped
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Finn Allen sends it high in the air but is dropped. Shivam Dube puts down a sitter.
Arshdeep Singh to bowl first over
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New Zealand innings
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Alright. Not far now from the start of the chase. New Zealand need 12.75 an over. 43 sixes will do it.
On the positive side, the Black Caps were on pace to get this total in the semi-final when they reached 173 in just the 13th over to beat South Africa.
Bowling figures
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Henry 1-89 (4)
Phillips 0-5 (1)
Duffy 0-42 (3)
Ferguson 0-48 (2)
Santner 0-33 (4)
Ravindra 1-32 (2)
Neesham 3-46 (4)
India in total control
Cameron McMillan
That is the third highest score in a T20 World Cup game. And again India smashing the Black Caps, much like the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final when they made 397/4.
Just poor bowling from the Black Caps. Other than the 16th over from James Neesham where he took three wickets, New Zealand had very few chances before that. Changed bowlers throughout the opening powerful and that didn't work. Sanju Samson and , Abhishek Sharma got them off to the perfect start and Ishan Kishan played a key role with 54 from 25 as well. New Zealand did well to stop the runs a bit until Neesham went for 24 off the final over.
India make 255
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And that will need some chasing. New Zealand's highest ever T20 total is 254...against Scotland.
250 is up
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Already 20 off this over. Two balls left.
Six again
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Shivram Dube goes back to back.
Six
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And Shivram Dube smashes that one over leg side boundary.
Missed chance
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High in the air. Santner can't catch it, then somehow headers the ball to the boundary for four.
Last over - Neesham to bowl it
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19th over: India 231/5
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Six and a wicket from the Henry over and a few singles. He finishes with 1-49.
Wicket - Hardik Pandya caught Santner bowled Henry 18
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Hardik sends one very high and Santner gets under it.
Matt Henry to bowl the 19th over
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And a full toss to begin the over gets sent for six by Hardik.
Chance
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Diving effort for Phillips in the deep with one hand but doesn't touch it and Hardik finally finds the boundary.
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15 balls since last boundary. A good comeback from the Black Caps but feels too much damage has been done.
Hat-trick ball for Neesham
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No wicket, but a dot ball at least.
17th over: India 211/4
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Three overs to go. NZ would be happy with anything under 250, which would still be a massive total.
Dropped
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Finn Allen puts it down and he looks in pain. Not what New Zealand fans want to see right now. Tilak Varma smashed it to Allen at point but hit the outside of his hand.
16th over: India 204/4
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India go from 203/1 to 204/4. Great over from Neesham. But can it stop the runs? Two new batters now.
Wicket - Suryakumar Yadav caught Ravindra bowled Neesham 0
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The India skipper goes first ball. And Neesham takes three in the over. Yadav pulls to fine leg and Ravindra takes a great diving catch in front of him.
Wicket - Ishan Kishan caught Chapman bowed Neesham 54
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And Neesham strikes twice in the over. Same shot same result. Ishan Kishan goes down the ground but straight to Mark Chapman.
Wicket - Sanju Samson caught sub (McConchie) bowled Neesham 89
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Samson won't get the hundred. He goes down the ground and Cole McConchie does a good job along the rope to stay infield.
15th over: India 203/1
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200 is up for India. New Zealand's highest ever T20 score is 254. Their highest against India is 225, in a defeat.
And that's the 100 partnership as well
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Ishan Kishan 50 off 23 balls
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14th over: India 191-1
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20 off that over. India now have 14 sixes and 14 fours. And New Zealand have had zero chances outside of the one wicket.
Make that three in a row
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Sanju Samson moves to 88 from 44 balls
Six and six
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Sanju Samson again with back to back sixes, this time of Ravindra.
13th over: India 171-1
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Good comeback from Henry after giving up early six, just four singles off rest of the over.
Six again
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Ishan Kishan pulls Henry over mid on.
12th over: India 161-1
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24 off the Ferguson over including three sixes. The Black Caps just don't have an answer. They'll be lucky to be chasing anything over 250.
SIX, SIX
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Sanju Samson goes bang twice to start the Ferguson over. First over square leg then down the ground.
11th over: India 137-1
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Santner gives up his first six of the final. He's now 21-0 through three overs. India happy to play him out for singles but Kishan got hold of one there.
Sanju Samson 50 off 33 balls
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10th over: India 127-1
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Neesham gives up 10 in the over, which the Black Caps would probably take right now. They need Brett Randell and his five wickets in five balls right now.
Ninth over: India 116-1
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Another good over from Santner, just five singles. James Neesham into the attack.
Eighth over: India 110-1
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Ravindra gets the breakthrough but can't stop the runs. Ishan Kishan begins with three fours.
WICKET - Abhishek Sharma caught Seifert bowled Ravindra 52
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Oh did the Black Caps need that. Ravidra with a wide ball first up and Abhishek Sharma gets an edge.
Seventh over: India 98-0
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Just six off the Santner over. That's good at least to stem the flow of runs. But he'll need support at the other end.
Mitch Santner brings himself on
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New Zealand need wickets now or this final could feel out of reach in a few overs.
Sixth over: India 92-0
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What a powerplay for the hosts. 92 off it and New Zealand are really in trouble. The live forecast as India scoring 248.
Abhishek Sharma smashes three fours and a six off the Duffy over and the Black Caps pace bowlers have all been poor. 20 off that over. Eight wides already in the first six overs.
Bowlers so far:
Henry 0-28 (2)
Phillips 0-5 (1)
Duffy 0-35 (2)
Ferguson 0-24 (1)
Abhishek Sharma 51 off 18 balls
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60 off the last 18 balls.
Fifth over: India 72-0
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Black Caps have no answer. Henry bowls four wides in his second over. And then two sixes.
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That's 39 from the last two overs. Back to Matt Henry now.