Ahmedabad, Mar 7: After a thrilling 7-run victory over two-time champions England in the semifinals, Team India now turn their attention to New Zealand - the final obstacle in their quest to the historic third ICC T20 World Cup crown.

 

Even though they have lost only once, India’s path to the summit clash has been anything but dominant. A handful of players - Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shivam Dube - have stood out with consistent performances. However, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel have endured mixed outings with impressive efforts in patches. More worrying for the team are the struggles of Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy, whose lack of form could prove costly in the high-stakes final.

 

Unexpected Beginning

Fans and team management were quite confident of India’s chances at the T20 extravaganza, buoyed by Men in Blue’s form - for instances Surya & co. chased 209 in just 15.2 overs against New Zealand, hunted down 154 in 10 overs, and regularly piled up 200-plus totals with ease. So it’s natural that whether players, or fans, anyone can have a bit of complacency - with many bidding for India to breach 300-run barrier in an innings at the event.

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But what unfolded at their campaign opener, and that to against USA, was nothing short of a reality check. The USA bowlers ran through the Indian batting order, leaving them reeling at 77/6. However, skipper Suryakumar saved the day with a leading-by-example knock of 84 off 49 deliveries, guiding the side to a competitive 161/9. Backed by disciplined spells from Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel, the Men in Blue began their campaign with a hard-fought yet unconvincing 29-run victory.

 

Although not commanding, the second match against Namibia was an impressive one. Batters were looked in rhythm, piling up 209/9 with ease. Though the bowlers endured a shaky start, they pulled things off to dismantle the opposition, bowling them out for just 116.

 

Dutch Tougher Than Pak!

After a lot of drama over Pakistan’s boycott call for the India match, the latest chapter in a fabled rivalry saw Men in Blue breeze past Men in Green. The foundation of the win was laid by Ishan Kishan with a fiery 77, the bowlers combined brilliantly to dismiss Pakistan for just 114.

 

In contrast, the Netherlands put up a spirited fight despite the loss. India’s top order faltered, forcing reliance on the middle order — with Shivam Dube’s explosive 66 off 31 balls proving decisive. Tilak, Surya, and Hardik chipped in with 30+ scores each, though at modest strike rates, as India posted 193/6. The Dutch battled hard, finishing at 176/7, a far stronger showing than Pakistan’s effort against the Men in Blue.

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Struggled, but Through

India’s Super 8 campaign began on a sour note with a crushing defeat to South Africa. The Proteas, powered by Dewald Brevis and David Miller’s middle-order brilliance and Tristan Stubbs’ fiery finish, piled up 187/7. In reply, India’s batting collapsed, with only Shivam Dube resisting through a gritty 42 off 37. His knock helped the hosts cross 100, but they still fell short by 76 runs — a heavy loss that dented their net run rate.

 

With West Indies thrashing Zimbabwe, India’s qualification hopes looked bleak. Yet, the Windies’ subsequent defeat to South Africa and India’s rebound win over Zimbabwe set up a virtual quarterfinal between the two sides.

 

Against Zimbabwe, India produced their most dominant performance of the tournament, racking up 256/4 - the highest score of this edition and second-highest in tournament history. Every batter contributed, with Sanju Samson’s inclusion proving effective against the Powerplay off-spin trap, and Abhishek Sharma finding form with a half-century. Zimbabwe fought valiantly, highlighted by Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 97, but India’s all-round display sealed a commanding victory.

 

In a do-or-die Super 8 clash - a virtual quarterfinal - against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, India faced both an in-form Caribbean side and the haunting memory of their 2016 semifinal defeat against the same opposition at Wankhede. The inclusion of Sanju Samson proved decisive, as his masterful unbeaten 97 guided India to a successful chase of 196 and secured their place in the semifinals.

Narrow Escape

The India-England semifinal was one for the ages, producing 499 runs across two innings before India clinched a nail-biting seven-run victory. Batting first, India piled up 253/7 - their second 250‑plus score of the tournament - with Sanju Samson’s fluent 89 and handy cameos from Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya.

 

England looked down and out at one stage - 95/4, but Jacob Bethell’s sensational 105 off 48 kept them in the hunt until his run‑out in the final over. Will Jacks added valuable support, yet the decisive factor was Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance, conceding just 14 runs in his last two overs (eight in the 16th and six in the 18th). Axar was also spectacular in the field grabbing two crucial catches to dismiss Harry Brook and Jacks. Despite Jofra Archer hammering three sixes off Dube in the final over, England fell short, setting up a blockbuster title clash between India and New Zealand.

How India Got Exposed: at a Glance

The Off-Spin Trap: Although Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus claimed four wickets against India, it was Salman Agha who truly exposed their vulnerability - three left-handers stacked at the top. The flaw resurfaced when the Netherlands’ Aryan Dutt removed Abhishek and Ishan in the Powerplay, and South Africa’s Aiden Markram dismissed Ishan in the opening over. However, Sanju Samson’s inclusion ensured India’s weakness against off-spin was no longer a pressing concern.

The Usman Tariq Talks: There was plenty of chatter around Usman Tariq’s pause‑and‑bowl action, so much so that Suryakumar Yadav even mimicked it in the nets to prepare his teammates. While Tariq managed a decent outing, he ultimately fell short of the threat Pakistan had hoped he would pose.

Humiliation at Ahmedabad: Both India and South Africa entered the Super 8 contest unbeaten, but the result reignited talk of the venue being a “cursed” venue for India - memories of the 2023 ODI World Cup final and Travis Head-inflicted heartbreak lingered. Bowled out for a meagre 111, the Men in Blue suffered a humiliating defeat that served as a stark reminder: complacency has no place at this stage.

Varun’s Form: Varun Chakravarthy’s fine run came undone against South Africa, where he returned 1/47 in his four overs. That outing seemed to dent his rhythm and confidence, as subsequent spells read 1/35 versus Zimbabwe, 1/40 against West Indies, and 1/64 against England. Since that Proteas clash, his variations have failed to click, particularly in the semifinal against England. With calls growing for Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion ahead of the final against New Zealand, head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav face a tricky selection dilemma.

 

The Ahmedabad ‘Curse’! India Should Keep an Eye on:

• India’s only defeat in the ongoing World Cup came at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where South Africa bowled them out for 111 while defending 188.
• The venue, historically tricky for India, has seen mixed results - 26 wins and 14 losses across formats, though in T20Is they hold a strong 7-3 record.
• The challenge often lies in the pitch: black soil surfaces slow down as matches progress, making chases difficult. Average first-innings scores hover around 174, while second-innings totals drop to about 150.
• Past setbacks here include two T20I defeats to England in 2021 and the painful 2023 ODI World Cup final loss to Australia.
• Over-reliance on individual stars proved costly in 2023, and while Sanju Samson’s form has been a major boost, India must avoid leaning solely on him or Ishan Kishan.
• Equally important is anticipating opposition threats - Travis Head stunned India in 2023; this time, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert demand careful planning.

 

Pitch Report

The T20 World Cup final will be played on a pitch similar to the one used in the semifinal at Wankhede. Despite the green‑tinged surface raised concerns before the India-England clash, it produced a record 499 runs. At the Narendra Modi Stadium, the centre pitch - a mix of red and black soil - prepared for Sunday’s final is expected to offer pace and bounce with minimal turn. The first innings par score is expected to be 200.

Crucial Info about the venue

• This surface is virtually fresh, having hosted only one match in the tournament - South Africa’s win over Canada on February 9, where they posted 213.
• New Zealand have played just once in Ahmedabad, losing to South Africa on a red‑soil pitch as the Proteas chased 177 comfortably.
• India, meanwhile, have featured twice: they beat the Netherlands by 17 runs after scoring 193, but suffered a heavy 76‑run defeat to South Africa on a black‑soil track when chasing 187.

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head at T20 WCs

India, as hosts and defending champions, with recent bilateral wins over their opponents, might be slight favourites for Sunday’s Final. However, history is on New Zealand’s side with the Black Caps have never lost a game - played three times - to India in the T20 World Cup history.

 

2007: Won by 10 runs in Johannesburg (Quarterfinal)

In the inaugural edition, Daniel Vettori highlighted the impact of left-arm orthodox spin with a match-winning all-round performance. Defending 191 against India, he turned the game by dismissing Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir, who was threatening with a fluent 51. Jeetan Patel’s removal of Yuvraj Singh and a crucial run-out of MS Dhoni tightened New Zealand’s grip, before Vettori returned to claim Irfan Pathan and Dinesh Karthik, finishing with 4/20. Earlier, Brendon McCullum’s explosive 45 set the tone, while Craig McMillan and Jacob Oram added late runs, ensuring India fell short despite a strong start.

 

2016: Won by 47 runs in Nagpur

New Zealand defended just 126 on a spin-dominated track, bowling India out for 79. Corey Anderson anchored with 34, while Luke Ronchi’s late 21 boosted the total. India faltered against the spin trio, with only Virat Kohli (23) and MS Dhoni (30) offering resistance. Ish Sodhi’s dismissal of Kohli at 39/5 sealed India’s fate, and Dhoni fell in the 18th over. Nathan McCullum (2/15), Sodhi (3/18), and Mitchell Santner (4/11 plus 18 runs) shared nine wickets, while Adam Milne claimed the final scalp, completing a famous New Zealand victory.

 

2021: Won by 8 wickets in Dubai

New Zealand’s disciplined bowling dismantled India, restricting them to 110/7. Trent Boult struck early and returned late with two more wickets, while others maintained relentless pressure. Mitchell Santner, though wicketless, delivered a miserly spell of 0/15 with 11 dot balls. Chasing, Martin Guptill and Daryl Mitchell quickly erased any hopes of an Indian fightback. Mitchell’s composed 49 off 35 set the tone before Kane Williamson calmly finished the chase.