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)

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — Mexico took advantage of a defensive blunder by South Korea to win 1-0 and become the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup on Thursday.

It marks a major triumph for a team that failed to get out of the group stage in 2022 and now has won twice on home soil in front of jubilant crowds. Mexico players celebrated at midfield and waved to the fans who cheered and sang from the packed stands at Estadio Akron.

Luis Romo scored in the 50th minute after South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu collided with defender Lee Gi-hyuk and dropped the ball inside the area. Romo easily found the open net after picking up the loose ball.

The South Koreans nearly equalized in the 87th minute when Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel stopped a header from close range by Cho Gue-sung, then made an even better save of Yang Hyun-jun's attempt on the rebound, extending his right arm to keep the ball from crossing the line.

Mexico won Group A with six points in two matches, three more than South Korea and five more than the Czech Republic and South Africa, who drew 1-1 earlier Thursday in Atlanta.

The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, along with the best eight third-place teams. A round of 32 is being played for the first time at the World Cup after the tournament was expanded to 48 teams.

Mexico opened with a 2-0 win over South Africa, while South Korea rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Czechs.

Mexico closes group play on Wednesday against the Czech Republic in Mexico City, while South Korea takes on South Africa in Monterrey.

Mexico had never won a World Cup game on home soil outside Mexico City. Before 2026, all but one of its nine World Cup matches at home, spanning the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, had been played at Estadio Azteca, with five wins and three draws. When it played in Toluca in 1970, it lost 4-1 to Italy in the quarterfinals.

Thursday's match got off to a lackluster start, with neither team creating significant scoring opportunities and both squads getting loudly booed after the halftime whistle.

Mexico, ranked 13th, was eliminated in the group stage four years ago in Qatar. That followed seven straight eliminations in the round of the 16.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Mexico's Luis Romo (7), left, scores the opening goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Mexico's Raul Jimenez (9), center, vies for the ball with South Korea's Kim Min-jae (4) during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel, middle, reaches to stop the ball during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel (1) makes a save on the goal line during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Mexico's Luis Romo, third left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring g his team's first goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)