IND vs NZ Final Live cricket score: India win T20 World Cup for third time, beat New Zealand by 96 runs

Proud of the boys to make it this far. Had some challenges throughout the tournament. Tonight we were outplayed by a very good team in front of a great crowd. Most games we play here it's always a great crowd. Credit to India to win a title at home. Comes with a lot of pressure. Sky and the boys should be proud of the work. Different guys stepped up at different times. Super Eights and semis we put on a good show but tonight we were outplayed. Boys should be proud.

Rohit Sharma is meeting the Indian players on the ground at the moment.

For the last couple of months, I have been in constant contact with Sachin sir. I reached out to him and had big big conversations with him. Getting a guidance from someone like him, what more can you ask for?

Sanju Samson has won the player of the tournament award.

Jasprit Bumrah has won the player of the match for his terrific spell of 4/15 in four overs in the final.

 It was always there to hit some big sixes. That was my role from the first day of the tournament. I always back myself and think that whenever I get opportunity, I'll hit some sixes. I have developed a lot, my bowling, but it didn't come off this tournament. Hopefully will do better in the future

Abhishek Sharma admits to being under pressure during the T20 World Cup during his bad form. He also said that he got emotional at one stage but eventually managed to play a massive role for India in the final.

Suryakumar Yadav has led India to the T20 World Cup. It was his first ICC trophy as captain and he has created history. India are the first team to win T20 World Cup three times.

Abhishek Sharma strikes and India have won by 96 runs in the final. New Zealand have been bowled out for 159 runs.

Jasprit Bumrah has picked up his fourth wicket of the evening and Mitchell Santner has been dismissed. New Zealand are 152/9 and Bumrah has a chance to pick a five-wicket haul.

New Zealand crossed the 150-run mark in that over. They are 152/8 after 17 overs and India are on the brink of creating history.

New Zealand lost two wickets in that over and Bumrah was the star there. They are 143/8.

Only 5 runs from the 15th over and New Zealand are 139/6. They need 117 runs off 30 balls.

Six overs left in the chase and the players are going through their motions now. Formalities are being completed. New Zealand are 134/6 after 14 overs.

Daryl Mitchell has been dismissed and New Zealand are six down. He scored 17 runs off 11 balls and the Kiwis are 124/6 in the 13th over.

New Zealand are 119/5 after 12 overs. This match is as good as done even as Santner and Mitchell are trying their best. 137 runs needed off 47 deliveries.

That over had a bit of drama with Arshdeep Singh hitting Daryl Mitchell with the ball unnecessarily. Clearly, he could've avoided and Mitchell had all rights to get pissed. However, Surya did well to step in and calm Mitchell down. But Arshdeep should've apologised there as it was his mistake.

The required run-rate is almost 17 as New Zealand are 88/5 and they continue to struggle.

New Zealand are 83/5 after nine overs. This match is as good as over for them and it is only a matter of time before things become obvious.

The slightest of hopes for New Zealand, Tim Seifert, has been dismissed and New Zealand are five down. 72/5.

A brilliant over from Hardik Pandya. He picked up a wicket and went for just 4 runs in that over. New Zealand are 72/4 

Hardik Pandya strikes for India!! Mark Chapman's forgettable stay in the middle ends as he scored only 3 runs off 8 balls.

Tim Seifert is putting up a fight for New Zealand. He is only slightest of hopes for the Kiwis in this final. 50 up for Seifert off just 23 balls and New Zealand are 68/3 after seven overs.

New Zealand are 52/3 at the end of six overs. They certainly seem to be out of the game now. Their only chance was the powerplay where they could've at least 80-90 runs. But this seems to be too much of an ask for them now. 

Axar Patel picked up New Zealand's third wicket. Glenn Phillips failed to read it as he departed for five runs off five balls. New Zealand are in big, big trouble. They are 47/3 at the moment. 

Jassi jaisa koi nahi! Bumrah concedes just four runs in the fourth over and also picked up the wicket of Rachin Ravindra. New Zealand are in all sorts of trouble now. The visitors are 36/2 after four overs. Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips are in the middle now. 

Jasprit Bumrah hands the second wicket to India as Rachin Ravindra departed for just one run off two balls. The ace pacer came to the attack and in the very first ball, he gave the breakthrough. Ishan Kishan picked up a sensational catch as New Zealand are 32/2 now. 

Just seven runs off Axar Patel's first over. Bapu, as he is popularly called, put the brakes and also got the better of Finn Allen in the match. 

Axar Patel comes to the attack in the third over and he gets the dangerous wicket of Finn Allen. The opener tried to clear the ropes but straight to Tilak Varma in long-on. Allen departed for nine runs off seven balls. India's tactics to bring Axar paid off. 

Hardik Pandya leaked 21 runs in his first over. Tim Seifert took him to the cleaners. Some blistering cricket in the middle as New Zealand show the right intent. They are 25/0 after two overs. Interestingly, Axar comes to the attack in the third over.

Poor start from New Zealand. Chasing 256 runs, the BlackCaps are 4/0 after the first over. They need to capitalise the powerplay, like India did to set the momentum. All eyes on Finn Allen and Tim Seifert. Can they launch a similar attack on India, as they did against South Africa in the semi-final?

Oh, no! Shivam Dube dropped a simple catch of the dangerous Finn Allen. Arshdeep Singh could have had a wicket in the first over itself but.. unlucky for India. It marked India's 15th dropped catch in the T20 World Cup 2026 - the most by any team. 

The chase to get underway now as Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are out in the middle. The opening duo is the best chance for New Zealand to chase this score down. Can they get the team off to an explosive start?

What a batting effort from India!! New Zealand pulled things back with quick wickets at the fag end of the innings. But Shivam Dube might have literally killed the game in that final over with 24 runs. They would've hoped to keep India under 240 runs after they had pulled it back. But Dube took India past the 250-run mark. Can New Zealand chase the total down? It will take a humongous effort from them but they have Finn Allen who is coming off a 33-ball century against South Africa in the final.

India have posted 255 runs in their 20 overs. 24 runs off the final over thanks to Shivam Dube.

India are 231/5 after 19 overs. Can they reach 250 runs now??

India continue to lose wickets in the death overs and fifth wicket is gone. 226/5 in 19th over.

Quick wickets halted India's progress. 220/4 are India after 18 overs. Suddenly 250 is looking tough now. Can India get one final kick?

Another wicket is GONE!! New Zealand have hit back with three wickets in a single over. They are well and truly back in this game now. 204/4. Only 1 run in 16th over.

Another wicket has fallen and New Zealand are coming back into this game. Ishan Kishan is gone and both set batters are back in the hut now. 204/3 

Sanju Samson is OUT! Again for 89 and once again, he has missed out on a century!! 89 runs off 46 balls. 203/2, Neesham has struck for New Zealand.

Another good over for India and 200 runs are up for India in just 15 overs. 203/1 after 15 overs.

Ishan Kishan has brought up his fifty off just 23 balls. What an effort from the left-hander! Crazy batting. 198/1

India are 191/1 after 14 overs and Samson is on 88 with three consecutive sixes. What great batting this is from him and India!! Crazy stuff!

Runs continue to flow in Ahmedabad. India are 171/1 after 13 overs. Remember, 260 is the highest score in T20 World Cup history.

Lockie Ferguson is having a forgettable night here in Ahmedabad. He has gone for 24 runs in an over again and India are 161/1.

The carnage continues in Ahmedabad as 150 is up for India in the 12th over of the innings. New Zealand are bowling trash!!

Even Santner conceded a six in that over and went for 10 runs in an over. The score is now 137/1 after 11 overs. Fifty for Samson off just 32 balls.

At the halfway mark, India are 127/1. Clearly, another 250 score in the sights for India!!

Mitchell Santner has done well so far for New Zealand. India are 115/1 after nine overs. New Zealand need someone to arrest the run-scoring from the other end as well.

Ishan Kishan doesn't take time to get going. Despite a wicket, India scored 12 runs in that over and the score is 110/1 after 8 overs.

100 up for India in the 8th over!! Kishan smashed the first ball almost for a four but New Zealand have been superb in the field so far.

Rachin Ravindra has struck for New Zealand!! Abhishek Sharma has been dismissed and India are 98/1.

Santner goes for only six runs in the 7th over. India are 98/0 after seven overs. What a start this has been!!

India are 92/0 after six overs and Abhishek Sharma has found his form back.

Abhishek Sharma has come to the party in the final and has notched up an 18-ball fifty!!

21 runs off the fifth over from Henry!! Samson finished the over with a six and India are 72/0 after five overs. New Zealand have lost their plot already. They need to pick wickets soon.

This is already the highest opening partnership in the history of T20 World Cup final.

Mitchell Santner has played into the hands of Abhishek Sharma by removing the spinner and Ferguson has gone for a lot of runs. 24 runs off the over and 50 runs are up for India in four overs. 51/0 after four overs.

It's the 4th over and the fourth bowler into the attack from New Zealand. Lockie Ferguson is into the attack now. Can he strike for New Zealand?

Abhishek Sharma got going in that over, smashing a couple of fours off Jacob Duffy and Samson also ended the over with a four. 27/0 after three overs.

A good start from Glenn Phillips to not concede a boundary. India are 12/0 after two overs.

Sanju Samson got off the mark with a six in the first over, smashing a maximum on the fifth ball after playing four dot deliveries. India are 7/0

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson open for India in the summit clash. For New Zealand, Matt Henry starts the proceedings. Let the live action begin! 

Players have lined up for national anthems. New Zealand's first, followed by India's.

Playing XIs

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand (Playing XI): Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The closing ceremony is done, and the toss is now set to take place on time around 6:30 PM

Even as the fans are enjoying Ricky Martin's performance, pitch report has arrived ahead of the final clash:

Ian Bishop and Eoin Morgan: It (the surface) clearly is a dark color. And then over to my left, quickly, it’s a red color. And they both play quite differently. So what have we got? Something in between for today’s game, a mix of red and black (soil). The dimensions of the ground stand up well. 70 meters to my right, 68 to my left, and 72 down the ground. Well, what an event. And the actual anti-spray (dew) makes it more of an even balance. It means the pitch will stay the same, as will conditions throughout. If we have a look at the surface here, there is a beautiful covering of grass, tinge of green, however, which shouldn’t really change much things. The new ball might get a bit of swing, bit of seam, but predominantly, this is going to be a really good surface to bat on. It’s notoriously not much on offer for the spinners at this ground. So I’m expecting a high-scoring ground, 190, 200. Good day for the batters.

After Sukhbir, Ricky Martin is on the stage now for the performance.

The closing ceremony of the T20 World Cup is underway. Sukhbir Singh is performing at the moment and the crowd is enjoying.

Here's New Zealand's road to the final

Group Stage

Beat Afghanistan by five wickets
Beat UAE by 10 wickets
Lost to South Africa by 7 wickets
Beat Canada by 8 wickets

Super 8

Match Abandoned vs Pakistan
Beat Sri Lanka by 61 runs
Lost to England by 4 wickets

Semifinal

Beat South Africa by 9 wickets

Here's India's road to the final:

Group Stage 

Beat USA by 29 runs
Beat Namibia by 93 runs
Beat Pakistan by 61 runs
Beat Netherlands by 17 runs

Super 8

Lost to South Africa by 76 runs
Beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs
Beat West Indies by 5 wickets

Semifinal

Beat England by 7 runs

Hello and welcome to India TV's coverage of the T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. It is the marquee clash as exactly after a month, the tournament has reached its climax. The Narendra Modi Stadium is Sold OUT on expected lines for this final and there will be a massive support for team India. But they haven't beaten New Zealand even once in T20 WC history. Can India break the hoodoo and also defend their T20 World Cup title or will New Zealand win the trophy for the very first time? We will bring you all the updates soon. Stay tuned.