India strengthened their status as the dominant force in white-ball cricket Sunday, claiming a third men’s Twenty20 World Cup title with a commanding 96-run victory over New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
Opener Sanju Samson continued his outstanding tournament, posting a third consecutive score above 80 to earn player of the tournament honors. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah then produced a superb spell of 4-15 on a batting-friendly surface, sealing the win and taking player of the match.
“India’s formula is pretty simple,” former England captain Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports.
“A batting lineup packed with power hitters that will post an above-par total, and a bowler in Bumrah who can make even a below-par score look enough. He’s an absolute genius, and when you combine those two elements, they’re virtually unbeatable.”
Sky Sports analyst and former England cricketer Michael Atherton also praised India, saying they were deserving champions.
“India are more than a pre-eminent T20 side. They are the pre-eminent white-ball side at the moment,” he said.
“In the last few ICC global events before today, they have won 30 of 32 games. They are the strongest side in white-ball cricket.”
Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen also praised India’s dominance, lauding on social media the team’s sustained excellence in the format, while current and former Indian cricketers including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh and Ajinkya Rahane took to social media to celebrate the team’s success.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar credited India’s success to structural strength and long-term planning.
“India have proven they are thinking in the correct manner and they have given opportunities to the right people at the right time,” Akhtar said on the Tapmad YouTube channel.
“The speed at which India is going, the way they are investing in their system, and the way they respect their elder generation of cricket, is commendable.”
With India now holding three T20 World Cup titles, captain Suryakumar Yadav said the side would aim for gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, while also targeting another T20 World Cup crown.
