Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli Hail India’s Historic T20 World Cup Triumph: 'Champions Once Again'

India defeated New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Final in Ahmedabad. Cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli congratulated the team on social media.

Indian cricketers celebrate their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 win

Source : X, @ICC

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to win T20 World Cup.
• Team India became first to win T20 World Cup three times.
• Bumrah took 4 wickets as New Zealand collapsed chasing target.

India Win T20 World Cup 2026: History was created as India lifted the ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy once again, delivering a stunning performance to overpower New Zealand by a massive 96 runs in the final. The defending champions produced a dominant display in the summit clash, successfully retaining the title while also setting multiple milestones in the process. With this victory, India etched their name deeper into the tournament’s record books. They became the first side to win the T20 World Cup three times, the first to successfully defend this title, and the first to claim the trophy on home soil.

Naturally, feliciations followed, including from two of the biggest names in cricket, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Tendulkar, Kohli Congratulate Indian Team

Winning the World Cup twice in a row, the first time any team has done so in the T20 format. Totally deserving and rightful winners of the trophy.

What a fantastic performance by our team and a special brand of cricket on display.

Well done, Team India. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳🏆

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 8, 2026

Sachin Tendulkar took to social media platform X, stating the following:

"Winning the World Cup twice in a row, the first time any team has done so in the T20 format. Totally deserving and rightful winners of the trophy. What a fantastic performance by our team and a special brand of cricket on display. Well done, Team India. Jai Hind!"

Virat Kohli also posted on the same platform.

Champions ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to…

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 8, 2026

"Champions ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat. Jai Hind"

IND vs NZ: T20 WC Final Summary

The foundation for India’s massive total was laid by a sensational knock from Sanju Samson, who smashed a brilliant 89 at the top of the order. He received strong support from Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, both of whom produced attacking half-centuries.

Abhishek hammered 52 runs while Kishan added 54, as the trio launched an aggressive assault on the Kiwi bowlers. Sixes flowed freely as India’s top order maintained relentless pressure from the very beginning of the innings.

The batting blitz powered India to an imposing 255-5, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.

Chasing such a daunting target, New Zealand needed a perfect start but quickly ran into trouble. The pressure of the steep chase forced their batters to attack from the outset, which resulted in early wickets.

Dangerous opener Finn Allen fell cheaply for just 9, while the hard-hitting Glenn Phillips was dismissed for 5. Their early departures dealt a severe blow to New Zealand’s hopes of mounting a serious challenge in the final.

With wickets falling regularly, the chase soon began slipping out of reach for the Black Caps. Jasprit Bumrah delivered a devastating spell, finishing with remarkable figures of 4 for 15, while Axar Patel chipped in with three crucial wickets for 27 runs.

New Zealand briefly found some resistance through Tim Seifert, who played a fighting knock of 52 from just 26 balls. However, his dismissal effectively ended any remaining hopes of a comeback.

From that point on, the result was never in doubt as India completed a commanding victory to retain the T20 World Cup crown in emphatic fashion.