India can create T20 World Cup history when they face New Zealand in Sunday’s final, live on Sky Sports, with pressure on the hosts as they target more success on the global stage.
The defending champions are aiming to become the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title and the first three-time winners in the tournament’s history, two years on from beating South Africa in the 2024 final.
India bounced back from their record T20 World Cup loss against South Africa on February 22 to win their two remaining Super 8s matches and reach the semi-finals, where they claimed a narrow victory over England in a high-scoring contest.
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Highlights from the T20 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai, where Jacob Bethell’s stunning hundred against India was not quite enough to see England to victory
A crowd of over 100,000 is expected at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to watch India’s bid for back-to-back world titles, while New Zealand bid to silence the home crowd and lift the trophy for the first time.
“I mean I guess that means only one team can fail, doesn’t it?” said New Zealand’s Glen Phillips, referencing the home support. “For us we just go out there and enjoy it.
“We have a great time as a group of guys. We go out and do our best for our country and obviously a packed crowd is fantastic. We play to entertain the people and, whether they’re supporting us or whether they support India, it is fantastic for cricket in general. “
India are favourites and claimed a 4-1 victory when the two sides met in a five-match T20I series in January, although former England captain Nasser Hussain believes New Zealand are a team not to be underestimated.
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Axar Patel was involved in two sensational catches in India’s narrow win over England in the T20 World Cup semi-finals – but which was better?
“What New Zealand will love is everyone talking about India and whether they can become the first men’s side to defend the title,” Hussain told Sky Sports. “India are obviously favourites – they are the No 1 side, and they are at home.
“All the focus will be on India. New Zealand will do what they always do – rock up and play their best cricket. India are definitely the favourites, but do not write off New Zealand in any format.”
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New Zealand’s Finn Allen thumped the fastest men’s T20 World Cup hundred during their semi-final win
‘Redemption’ for India in ‘mouth-watering’ final?
India’s 2024 T20 World Cup win came a year after missing out on 50-over World Cup success on home soil, where they won all nine of their group matches and thrashed New Zealand in the semi-finals before losing to Australia in the final.
“It’s redemption time [for India] in a way,” former India international Dinesh Karthik told Sky Sports. “That 2023 campaign was amazing. They were flawless all the way to the final that day and then had one bad day.”
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Highlights from the 2023 World Cup final, where Australia beat host nation India by six wickets to win the trophy for a sixth time
Sunday’s final takes place at the same venue as that six-wicket defeat to Australia in 2023, with Karthik expecting a high-scoring contest and New Zealand to produce another strong performance.
“It [Ahmedabad] is a beautiful pitch to bat on,” Karthik added. “So far it’s been one of the highest-scoring venues and I don’t see any reason it won’t be a high-scoring encounter. It’s a great story of a team coming in as the defending champions and then the underdog.
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Full highlights from the opening semi-final, where Finn Allen hit the fastest hundred in tournament history to help New Zealand annihilate South Africa
“New Zealand are constantly a team where you think they could [win], but you never put them in the top three or top four teams, but every time in a multi-nation tournament they have made a mark and they punch above their weight.
“They do a fantastic job of playing solid cricket. I am looking forward to a blockbuster contest. A mouth-watering contest between a defending champion and a team that has always been the bridesmaid, not the bride. There’s a chance for New Zealand now.”
Watch the T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand live on Sunday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Cricket and 1pm on Sky Sports Main Event (1.30pm first ball). Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.
