- India aim to be first team to retain T20 World Cup title.
- New Zealand seek first global white-ball crown.
- More than 100,000 spectators expected at final.
AHMEDABAD: India’s bid to become the first team to retain the Twenty20 World Cup will collide with New Zealand’s quest for a maiden global white-ball crown when the finalists step on to the field at the world’s largest cricket stadium on Sunday.
The 20-team tournament will end in an Ahmedabad amphitheatre where more than 100,000 fans will expect a gladiatorial slugfest and most will hope for a home triumph.
The stands will transform into a sea of blue for Suryakumar Yadav’s men but India do not have particularly sweet memories of their rivals or the venue in recent global finals.
Personnel have since changed, but in New Zealand, India face opponents who got the better of them in the World Test Championship final in 2021 in England.
Two years later, Australia stunned the cavernous Narendra Modi Stadium when they humbled India, previously unbeaten in the tournament, in the 50-over World Cup final.
Still, it is a testament to India’s consistency that reaching finals has become almost habitual.
This home campaign has not been flawless, but they are where it matters — one win from becoming the first host nation to lift a T20 World Cup.
As the world’s top-ranked T20 side, they have the means to do it.
Sanju Samson has reinvigorated the top order with back-to-back match-winning knocks to fire the hosts into the final.
His elevation has added a valuable left-right variety at the top, and India have shown tactical flexibility to rejig their batting order whenever needed.
With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah has led superbly, earning plaudits for strangling batters in the game’s most unforgiving format for bowlers.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been on point too, though the leakage of no-balls and wides from Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube – especially at the death – remains a concern.
The Kiwi pride
Frontline spinner Varun Chakravarthy has not been at his best but Axar Patel’s steady returns as a spin-bowling all-rounder have been a major plus.
New Zealand’s path to the final was hardly serene either and they only reached the last four after Pakistan failed to win big against Sri Lanka.
Then came a thunderclap — a nine-wicket demolition of previously unbeaten South Africa in the first semi-final that left fans and pundits rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
Finn Allen, who smashed a record 33-ball hundred in that match, and Tim Seifert form arguably the most explosive opening pair in T20 cricket.
Rachin Ravindra’s ability to tailor his batting to any situation and Glenn Phillips’ natural aggression make it a formidable batting lineup.
Matt Henry leads a sharp pace attack and New Zealand also have plenty of variety in their spin department, which has been bolstered by the late introduction of off-spinner Cole McConchie.
While there is no lack of skill and talent in their squad, New Zealand pride themselves on resilience.
“It just shows that us as a team, we get up for the fight,” Allen said.
“Those important fixtures, we really get up for them as a team. We’re prepared to fight till the end.”
New Zealand want to ‘break a few hearts’
Captain Mitchell Santner said his side were unfazed by India’s status as favourites and the prospect of playing in front of a huge partisan crowd.
“I wouldn’t mind winning a trophy,” Santner said.
“It’s going to be obviously a challenge where everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites.
“But yeah, I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once.”
Santner said New Zealand would aim to draw confidence from their upset of South Africa and try to repeat the feat against another heavyweight opponent.
“I guess that’s the goal, is to silence the crowd,” he said.
“T20 cricket is fickle at times. We’ve seen South Africa playing very good cricket all the way through and then had a little hiccup against us and out.
“So I think for us, it’s taking confidence from that and if we go about our business the same way, we can upset another big team.”
He also suggested the weight of expectation could work against India.
“So I think that comes with a lot of added pressure as well,” Santner said. “So if we can go out there and try and put, I guess, that added pressure on them and see what happens.”
New Zealand, who lost the 2021 T20 World Cup final to Australia, are still chasing their first white-ball world title. Yet their belief has grown as the knockout stage has unfolded.
‘There will be nerves’
Suryakumar, who succeeded Rohit Sharma as T20 captain after India’s 2024 triumph in Barbados, said leading the side into a home final was a special moment despite the weight of expectation.
“Leading such a wonderful side into a final that (is also on) home soil, it’s always a special feeling,” Suryakumar told reporters on Saturday.
“Of course there are nerves, there will be butterflies in the stomach but as I always say, ‘if there is no pressure, there is no fun’. All the boys and the support staff and I am sure the whole of India is excited for tomorrow.”
He had earlier acknowledged the strain of the occasion after India’s seven-run semi-final win over England.
“There will definitely be pressure and nerves, especially playing in India and going for the title,” Suryakumar said.
“But the boys and the whole support staff are excited as well.”
Suryakumar said India’s experience in major tournaments could prove vital.
“There’s a lot of benefit because there are a lot of players in this team who have played a lot of ICC events right from our coach (two-time World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir),” he said.
“So their experience is also important. And there are a lot of players, like Bumrah, Hardik (Pandya), Axar (Patel), there are a lot of players who have played in ICC events, in pressure situations.”
He also credited predecessor Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20 internationals alongside Virat Kohli after last year’s World Cup win.
“The way, where he left, I got to learn a lot of things from him when I was playing under him,” Suryakumar said.
“I tried to implement the same things with a few thoughts of mine as well. And it’s worked really well.”
