Skipper Mitch Santner had hoped to break a billion hearts in the T20 World Cup final -- but once again it was New Zealand cricket's nearly-men who were left crestfallen with a brutal defeat at the hands of India's extraordinary blue machine.
Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, the scene of India's misery in the global 50-over final against Australia just two-and-a-half years ago, this time became a national pleasure palace as the favourites, lifted by Sanju Samson's brutal batting and Jasprit Bumrah's matchless bowling, fashioned a 96-run victory on Sunday.
It ensured Suryakumar Yadav's powerhouse team became the first to successfully defend the global T20 crown in the tournament's short history.
