Ahmedabad: A stadium of more than one lakh spectators, a nation watching and history within touching distance. Favourites India are one win away from a record third T20 World Cup crown when they take on New Zealand in Sunday’s final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Suryakumar Yadav’s side can also become the first team to successfully defend the T20 title — and the first to lift it three times.The build-up has been relentless. With every passing hour closer to the start of the final, the weight of expectation will only increase on Suryakumar Yadav’s men. India arrive here after outgunning England in a high-scoring semifinal and know the pressure is as much psychological as tactical.
Yet this venue has tested them before. On Nov 19, 2023, Rohit Sharma’s men suffered a six-wicket defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup final here. More recently, South Africa handed India a humiliating 76-run defeat in the opening Super 8 match of this very tournament, briefly putting their qualification hopes in jeopardy.India redeemed themselves after the 2023 heartbreak by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados and the 2025 Champions Trophy, but the opportunity to complete the circle now comes at the same ground. Lifting the trophy in Ahmedabad on Sunday will feel like the final piece of that recovery.For Suryakumar, the final also carries personal significance. Batting at No. 7 in the 2023 ODI World Cup final here, he managed just 18 off 28 balls as India faltered under pressure. The current captain will relish the chance of setting the record straight at this venue.India have not lost a final since that Nov evening in 2023, having defeated South Africa and New Zealand to clinch the next two white-ball tournaments. Exactly 364 days ago, on March 9, 2025, Rohit Sharma played a pivotal role with a brilliant 76 in Dubai as India lifted the Champions Trophy.Much of India’s batting momentum in this tournament has come from Sanju Samson, who has produced match-winning knocks of 97* and 89* in the last two matches. His resurgence has been remarkable, especially after being dropped from the XI at the start of the tournament.The hosts will also hope for a big contribution from their captain. Since rescuing the side with an unbeaten 84 against the USA in the opening match, Surya has been relatively quiet, scoring 242 runs in eight matches at an average of 34.57 and a strike rate of 137.5.India’s biggest weapon with the ball remains Jasprit Bumrah. His double strike in the 12th over proved decisive against West Indies in the virtual quarterfinal at Eden Gardens, while his economical spell in the semifinal restricted England to 246/7 when they were threatening to chase down 254.Hardik Pandya also played a crucial role in that win with figures of 2/38 and a stunning run-out of centurion Jacob Bethell with a bullet throw from longoff in the final over. Axar Patel chipped in with two sensational catches to tilt the match India’s way.Not everything has gone according to plan. Two of India’s biggest matchwinners in recent times, explosive opener Abhishek Sharma and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, have struggled for form.Playing his first T20 World Cup, Abhishek has endured a disappointing campaign with just 89 runs in seven matches at an average of 12.71. With the left-hander vulnerable against off-spin, New Zealand could look to exploit that weakness through Cole McConchie.Chakravarthy, despite being India’s leading wicket-taker with 13 wickets in eight matches, has also lost rhythm in the latter stages of the tournament, managing just four wickets in the last four games. Though Kuldeep Yadav is an option, it may be too late for India to make a change now.
