Ahmedabad, March 8 (NationPress) Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah delivered an impressive performance with figures of 4-15 as India made history by becoming the first team to successfully defend the Men’s T20 World Cup title, achieving this feat for a remarkable third time. This victory came with a resounding 96-run win over New Zealand in front of a roaring crowd of 86,824 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Sanju Samson was the star of the show, smashing a phenomenal 89 runs off just 46 balls, featuring five fours and eight sixes. His explosive innings helped India set a staggering total of 255/5, marking the highest score in a T20 World Cup final. Bumrah and Axar Patel (3-27) dismantled New Zealand's batting order, leading to their all-out for 159 in only 19 overs, with only Tim Seifert providing a semblance of resistance with a score of 52.

Samson, showcasing his prime form after prior scores of 97 not out and 89, formed a solid 98-run opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma (52 off 21 balls), while Ishan Kishan contributed 54 off 25 balls. Despite James Neesham taking three wickets in one over to momentarily halt India’s charge, Shivam Dube finished strong with an unbeaten 26 off just eight balls, propelling India past the 250 mark.

India's bowlers ensured that there would be no repeat of the semi-final scare against England, reducing New Zealand to 52/3 during the powerplay. This victory marked two significant milestones: India's first triumph over New Zealand in a T20 World Cup and their inaugural ICC white-ball win in Ahmedabad, following previous defeats in the 2023 ODI final and earlier in this tournament.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav became the fourth Indian captain to lead the team to a men’s cricket World Cup title, maintaining an unbeaten record since taking charge after the trophy win in Barbados in June 2024. This remarkable achievement underscores India's dominance in T20 cricket. Head coach Gautam Gambhir celebrated his second ICC title as India executed their two-peat of Men’s T20 World Cup titles through a high-risk, high-reward strategy.

On a flat pitch, India's imposing total was built on an explosive start from their top three players, all of whom exhibited aggressive batting from the get-go. Samson finished with a strike rate of 193.47, while Abhishek boasted a staggering 247.61 and Kishan a commendable 216.

The early overs set a daunting tone for New Zealand, with the tactical introduction of fast bowler Jacob Duffy in the third over proving disastrous. Boundaries flowed freely as New Zealand's bowlers struggled, relying excessively on slower deliveries and failing to maintain stump-to-stump lines.

Batting first, Samson played cautiously against Matt Henry before launching a beautifully executed shot over long-on for six. Following a costly second over from Glenn Phillips, Abhishek made his presence felt with a powerful hit off Jacob Duffy, quickly followed by a stylish off-drive for another boundary.

Samson capitalized on a Duffy inswinger, driving it back over the bowler's head for four. The batting duo began to find their rhythm, and by the fourth over, they had unleashed an avalanche of runs, with Lockie Ferguson enduring a dismal introduction, conceding 24 runs in an over.

Abhishek reached his half-century off just 18 balls in the sixth over, showcasing his explosive batting style as India amassed 92 runs during the powerplay. When Mitchell Santner entered the attack in the seventh over, Samson dispatched him for a boundary.

Abhishek's innings came to an end in the eighth over when he edged a wide delivery from Rachin Ravindra. Ishan Kishan stepped in and immediately contributed, helping India reach the 100-run mark within 7.2 overs. Kishan maintained the momentum with some aggressive strokes.

Samson, after notching his third consecutive fifty, elevated his game further, smashing Ferguson for two sixes and a four, then hitting three successive sixes off Ravindra in the 14th over. By the 15th over, India had already set a new benchmark for team totals in T20 World Cup finals, with Kishan reaching his fifty off 23 balls.

However, Neesham struck back quickly, dismissing Samson for 89, followed by Kishan for 54 and Yadav for a golden duck.

Hardik Pandya managed a six and four off Henry before being caught on a slower delivery. Dube ensured a strong finish, launching Neesham for boundaries, ultimately leading India to a total of 256, thanks to a final over that yielded 24 runs. In defending the target of 256, Arshdeep Singh found early swing, effectively containing Seifert and Finn Allen.

Although Allen was dropped on two by Dube, Seifert exploded with two sixes and two fours in the second over, scoring 21 runs. India's response was swift, with Axar dismissing the dangerous Allen in the third over. Bumrah made an immediate impact in the fourth over, taking out Rachin Ravindra with his first delivery.

Axar then bowled Glenn Phillips, and by the end of the powerplay, New Zealand found themselves at 52/3. Seifert, however, brought up his half-century off just 23 balls.

India continued to chip away at the wickets, with Mark Chapman falling to Pandya and Seifert miscuing a pull shot that Kishan caught in the deep.

Though Daryl Mitchell hit two consecutive sixes off Arshdeep, the bowler managed to regain control, leading to Mitchell's dismissal off a full toss from Axar. Bumrah then struck again, taking down Neesham, Henry, and Duffy in quick succession, as India fulfilled their expectations and made history in a remarkable fashion.

Final tallies:

India 255/5 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Ishan Kishan 54, Abhishek Sharma 52; James Neesham 3-46, Rachin Ravindra 1-32) defeated New Zealand 159 in 19 overs (Tim Seifert 52, Mitchell Santner 43; Jasprit Bumrah 4-15, Axar Patel 3-27) by 96 runs.