Brilliant India crushes New Zealand by 96 runs to win Twenty20 World Cup for a record 3rd time

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — India won the T20 World Cup for a record third time with a crushing 96-run victory over New Zealand on Sunday to the delight of more than 86,000 cricket fans at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.

Defending champion India scored an imposing 255-5 in the final after losing the toss and batting first. Opener Sanju Samson hit a brilliant 46-ball 89, in his third straight 50.

New Zealand never posed a genuine threat in its chase and was all out for 159 in 19 overs. India pacer Jasprit Bumrah took 4-15 in four overs and Axar Patel picked up 3-27 in three overs. New Zealand opener Tim Seifert scored a 26-ball 52 with five sixes.

India, which won the T20 World Cup in 2007 and 2024, became the first country to successfully defend its title. India won the 2024 final against South Africa by seven runs but dominated Sunday from the start.

New Zealand was aiming for its first T20 World Cup triumph. It also finished as runner-up in the 2021 final, losing to Australia in Dubai.

Abhishek Sharma roared into form as he hit three sixes and six fours in his 21-ball 52, reaching his half century in only 18 balls. Samson took to the skies as well, hitting eight sixes in all, as the duo reached 50 off only 24 deliveries.

India's 92-0 was the joint highest power play score in any T20 World Cup match, equaling West Indies' 92-1 against Afghanistan in the 2024 edition.

It proved a superb base for building a formidable total and India never really relinquished control of the game. Sharma was out caught behind in the eighth over, but Ishan Kishan and Samson added another 105 off 48 balls for the second wicket.

Samson reached 50 off 33 balls – after 97 not out and 89 against West Indies and England, respectively – while Kishan powered to a third half-century in the tournament, coming off 23 balls.

Samson’s 89 was the highest individual score in a men’s T20 World Cup final and he was named player of the tournament for his 321 runs at an average of 80.25.

“It feels like a dream actually. I am very happy and grateful, out of emotions and words," Samson said.

India was past 200 in the 15th over, when it briefly stumbled. James Neesham picked up three wickets in the 16th over – Samson and Kishan were caught at long on, and then Suryakumar Yadav was out caught in the deep on the leg side for a first ball duck.

Shivam Dube's 26 not out off eight balls with two sixes helped India cross 250 yet again.

Finn Allen was out caught off Patel for just nine, while Kishan took a spectacular catch to send back Rachin Ravindra (1) off Bumrah.

Patel bowled Glenn Phillips (5) and Hardik Pandya cleaned up Mark Chapman (3) as New Zealand was down to 70-4 in 7.4 overs.

Seifert's innings included five sixes before he was Varun Chakravarthy’s sole wicket of the day, with Kishan claiming another fine catch.

Kishan was in action again as Patel sent back Daryl Mitchell (17), while Bumrah returned to polish off the lower order.

He was on a hat trick in the 16th over and took his tally to 40 wickets in T20 World Cups – the most for a pacer in tournament history.

Bumrah was named player of the match.

“It feels extremely special because I have played one final at my home venue but couldn’t win that one, but this one feels really special," Bumrah said. “I was really motivated and really clear about what I wanted to do. Today, all execution went as per our plans.”.

It was a memorable night for fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where India lost to Australia in the Cricket World Cup final in 2023.

India became the first country to successfully defend its title and also the first team to claim the trophy on home soil. India and Sri Lanka co-hosted this 2026 edition.

Yadav joined the likes of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as Indian captains to lift the T20 World Cup on another big day for Indian cricket.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Cricket fans celebrate India's win in the T20 World Cup cricket final match against New Zealand, in Guwahati, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

India's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 World Cup final match against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Cricket fans celebrate after India defeated New Zealand final match of T20 World Cup in Lucknow Uttar Pradesh state, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

India's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 World Cup final match against New Zealand, in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

India's players celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup cricket final match against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's players celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup cricket final match against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's James Neesham during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Matt Henry during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Sanju Samson celebrates his fifty runs during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Ishan Kishan celebrates his fifty runs during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

New Zealand's James Neesham celebrates the wicket of India's captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Abhishek Sharma celebrates his fifty runs with during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

India's Sanju Samson hits a boundary during the T20 World Cup cricket final match between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Scoot Henderson scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the skidding Indiana Pacers 131-111 on Sunday night.

Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday added 21 points apiece for the Blazers, who handed Indiana its ninth straight defeat. Henderson also had six assists with no turnovers.

Deni Avdija, who leads Portland in scoring (24.4 points per game) and assists (6.6), returned from a six-game absence caused by a lower back injury. He finished with 18 points and eight assists.

Indiana has dropped its past six games by an average of 20 points. This marks the team's third losing streak of at least eight games this season.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points and Jay Huff had 16 points and five blocks. Andrew Nembhard added 14 points and nine assists, and Jarace Walker also scored 14.

Huff has an NBA-leading 39 games this season with at least two blocks, two more than San Antonio center Victor Wenbanyama, who had four in a 145-120 win over Houston earlier Sunday and leads the NBA in blocks.

Robert Williams III had his streak of 18 consecutive games with at least one block snapped. It had been the longest active streak in the league.

Henderson scored or assisted on 15 points in a 25-7 run over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the second quarter to help the Blazers take a 69-52 lead into halftime. The Pacers were 2-of-11 shooting with three turnovers during that stretch.

Henderson had 19 points and five assists while going 7 for 9 from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, before the break. Grant added 14 points, Holiday had 11 and Avdija scored 10.

Pacers: Wrap up a four-game trip Tuesday at Sacramento.

Trail Blazers: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) shoots as Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff (32) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)