India Makes History: First Back-to-Back T20 World Cup Champion on Home Soil

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, defeated the Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand by a huge 96-run margin to defend their T20 World Cup title. With the win, India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup at home, the first team to win it back-to-back after securing the 2024 edition as well, and also became the first team to win it three times (2007, 2024, 2026).

In a post on X on Monday, PM Modi said that Team India's T20 World Cup victory demonstrates how determination, self-confidence, and disciplined effort lead to success. He emphasised that hard work in the right direction, combined with patience and persistence, makes achieving goals possible.

"By winning the T20 Cricket World Cup, Team India has proven that the confluence of determination, restraint, and self-confidence is the fundamental mantra for success in life. This victory also tells us that with hard work in the right direction, every goal can be achieved. One should constantly and steadily protect one's aspirations with that. Exert effort with patience; then success is certain," PM Modi said in the X post.

Earlier, on the night of the T20 WC final, PM Modi in another X post wrote, "Champions! Congratulations to the Indian team on winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup! This remarkable triumph reflects exceptional skills, determination, and teamwork. They have shown outstanding grit through the tournament. This victory has filled every Indian heart with pride and joy. Well done, Team India!"

In the T20 WC final, NZ won the toss and elected to field first. However, a return-to-form, record-breaking fifty from Abhishek Sharma (52 in 21 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and his 98-run stand with Samson made NZ regret the decision. Later, Samson stitched a century stand with Ishan Kishan (54 in 25 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) to take India past the 200-run mark in the 16th over. After a brief slowdown, Shivam Dube (26* in eight balls, with three fours and two sixes) made some valuable runs to take India to 255/5, the highest total in T20WC finals.

James Neesham (3/46) was the leading wicket-taker for NZ.

In the run-chase of 256 runs, Axar Patel (3/23) and Jasprit Bumrah (4/15) reduced the Kiwis to 72/5, despite a half-century from Tim Seifert (52 in 26 balls, with two fours and five sixes). Despite a brief partnership between Daryl Mitchell (17) and skipper Mitchell Santner (43 in 35 balls, with three fours and two sixes), India kept chipping in with wickets, and the Kiwis were bundled out for just 159 runs.

- ANI