HAT-TRICK OF FIRSTS FOR MEN IN BLUE

If the 2007 T20 World Cup victory was a watershed moment for Indian cricket, which gave birth to a behemoth like the IPL, the 2024 T20 World Cup win was a soothing balm to the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup final loss. The 2026 title triumph is an assertion that in talent, India are light years ahead of other teams

- INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

(PC: BCCI (X))

The ghosts of the past were finally laid to rest at the Narendra Modi Stadium as India delivered a masterclass against New Zealand to retain their ICC T20 World Cup title with a 96-run win Sunday.

In a poetic reversal of fortune at the very venue that once hosted their most bitter defeats in 2023, the Men in Blue stood tall, transforming the world’s largest cricket arena into a cauldron of pure jubilation.

India were the favourites to lift the title as they entered the tournament in scintillating form that has seen them win 48 of their last 56 T20I games dating back to October 2023. And producing a dominant series win against New Zealand ahead of the marquee event, they lived up to the tag.

The Men in Blue had a strong and steady campaign leading to the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, achieving seven wins in eight matches. Their journey started with a 29-run win against the United States national cricket team at the Wankhede Stadium February 7.

They then dominated the Namibia with a convincing 93-run victory in Delhi February 12. One of their most important wins in the group stage came when they defeated their arch-rivals, the Pakistan, by 61 runs in Colombo February 15.The team continued to build momentum with a 17-run win over the Netherlands in Ahmedabad February 18.