India beat New Zealand by 96 runs to retain the T20 World Cup
India became the first team to win three T20 World Cups, the first to defend the title and the first host nation to win it, beating New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
India won the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup on 8 March 2026, beating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The tournament was co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and ran from 7 February to 8 March, with 20 teams playing 55 matches.
India made 255/5 in their 20 overs. Sanju Samson scored 89 off 46 balls, while Ishan Kishan reached a fifty off 23 balls and Abhishek Sharma a fifty off 18. New Zealand were all out for 159 in 19 overs, Tim Seifert making 52.
Bumrah and Samson honoured
Jasprit Bumrah took 4/15 and was Player of the Match. The ICC named Sanju Samson Player of the Tournament. Suryakumar Yadav captained India. Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan scored 383 runs, the most in a single T20 World Cup, while Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy shared the most wickets with 14 each.
Prize money was US$2.64m for India and US$1.42m for New Zealand.
The 2026 event followed the same structure as 2024: 20 teams in four groups of five, with the top two from each group moving into a Super 8 stage of two groups of four, then the semi-finals and the final. India's previous title came in 2024, when they beat South Africa by seven runs in Barbados, and their first was in 2007, when they beat Pakistan by five runs at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
What it means for the title tally
India are the first team to win three T20 World Cups, having also won in 2007 and 2024. They are the first to defend the title and the first host nation to win it. England and West Indies have two titles each, and Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia one each.
Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament and were replaced by Scotland, and Italy made their debut. The next edition, in 2028, will be held in Australia and New Zealand from 21 October to 19 November 2028, with India as defending champions.
