It might not have been the thriller neutrals wanted, but it was everything India desired. They became the first men’s team to defend the T20 World Cup and the first to win it at home after drowning New Zealand in a deluge of runs in Ahmedabad in front of 100,000 giddy and almost universally blue-clad supporters.
New Zealand looked forlorn while conceding 255 and wretched when attempting to chase it, and after meandering through much of their innings with defeat already a certainty they were still 96 behind when it ended. They have now reached four World Cup finals of various hues since 2015 and lost them all, plus the Champions Trophy last year to boot.
The player of the tournament is Sanju Samson
It feels like a dream! I’m out of words, out of emotions. In 2024, when I was with the a World Cup-winning team but didn’t play a game, I kept on dreaming, kept on visualising, kept on working. This is exactly what I wanted to achieve. By God’s grace, things have turned around.
After the New Zealand series [in January, when he made 46 runs in five innings] I was completely out of my mind. I thought, ‘My dreams are shattered, what ele can I do?’ But God had different plans – I came back into the team and I did what I could for my country.
In the last couple of months – I hope I can share it here – I hhave been in constant touch with Sachin Tendulkar sir. I reached out to him and have had some big conversations with him. Getting guidance from someone like him, what more can I ask for?
