If you were looking for last-ball drama and tied scores, the T20 World Cup final was not for you. If you were looking for dominant cricket, historical achievement, and a reminder of what a truly great team looks like, it was unmissable. India won by 96 runs, posted 255, and became the first men’s team to defend the T20 World Cup title, even if the result lacked the edge-of-the-seat tension many had hoped for.
India’s batting was dominant from the start. Their powerplay produced 92 for no loss in six overs, and the top three all contributed fifties. Sharma, the fastest to his mark in 18 balls, set the tempo. Samson provided the anchor and the firepower simultaneously, reaching 89 off 46. Kishan contributed 54 off 25 before the middle-overs collapse arrived.
Four wickets in five overs, including three in a single Neesham over, temporarily disrupted India’s charge toward 300. The final total of 255 was still imposing, and Dube’s late hitting in the closing over provided the cherry on top. Neesham’s over — one run, three wickets — was the strangest and most memorable passage of play in a one-sided contest.
New Zealand’s reply started badly and deteriorated. Allen made nine, the top order failed collectively, and Bumrah was at his very best with three wickets delivered with his slow-yorker variations. Seifert’s fifty was the only positive moment for the Black Caps. They were dismissed for 159, falling 96 runs short.
The final may not have been a thriller, but India’s achievement absolutely was. No men’s team had ever defended the T20 World Cup. India did. And they did it at home, in front of their own fans, in a style that no neutral could criticize.