Vinay Kumar
Ahmedabad: It was a case of yet another final, yet another heartbreak for New Zealand. The Black Caps have now featured in four World Cup finals-all in the space of 11 years, twice in 50 overs competition (in 2015 & 2019) and twice in the T20WC (2021 & 2026). The Kiwis search for their maiden World Cup crown continues. On Sunday night, in the final of the 2026 T20 they were blown away by a rampant India, slumping to a 96-run defeat at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“I guess it’s not ideal, losing semis and finals, but like I said the other day, you get to this situation, you’re coming up against teams that are also playing very good cricket. India in a final in India is always going to be a challenge. We knew that definitely the underdogs going into the game. And they showed their class again tonight with that batting performance. India in a final in India is always going to be a challenge. We knew that (NZ were) definitely the underdogs going into the game. And they showed their class again tonight with that batting performance,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said at the post-final press conference.Before the final, Santner had put out a little note on ‘X’, even apologizing to people back home for playing on a Sunday and also asking them to wake up early in the morning to support the Back Caps in the final. “It’s thanks to the fans back home for following us. I might have to go to work obviously without a trophy today but we’ve great support back home and here as well and it was it was awesome to play in front of so many people tonight that had a few blue shirts on not many black shirts, but again it’s always a great occasion and it’s always cool for us to play in front of so many people. It wasn’t our greatest effort as we came up against a very good team,” the left-arm spinner said. Santner admitted his side was always up against it once India’s openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek buccaneered their way to 92 for no loss in the Powerplay (first six) overs. He termed the difference in the powerplays of both the teams as the story of the final. “Credit to Sanju and Abhishek at the top to get to 90 off the powerplay. It’s pretty tough from there. And then, everything kind of has to go well when you’re chasing 250. And losing the wickets in the powerplay is always a challenge. I think that was the tale of the day, was the two power plays. We were three for 40-odd and they were 90-odd for none.”Santner’s decision to bowl first on a batting paradise backfired badly, as India raced away to 255 for five, leaving New Zealand with too big a chase in a high-pressure final. “I guess you can look in hindsight, but it was a pretty good wicket throughout. There wasn’t much for the bowlers. The cutters weren’t really holding, not much spin. So I think either way you look at it, if we could have got a couple (of wickets) in the power play, squeeze them a little bit through the middle, 220 could have been chased down on a very good wicket,” the Black Caps captain explained.In a tactical self-goal, the Kiwis brought in seamer Jacob Duffy at the expense of off-spinner Cole McConchie, who had picked South Africa’s southpaws Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickleton in the only over that he bowled in the semifinal in Kolkata. Santner justified the decision by saying that the Ahmedabad surface offered little help for spin. “Ahmedabad, the wicket, the mixed soil usually there’s not much spin. There’s always a little bit of bounce. Bowling my overs, Axar’s and Chakravarty’s, there wasn’t really any spin at any stage.” It was hard to understand why the Black Caps gave just one over to off-spinner Glenn Phillips, despite him conceding just five runs in that. Justifying the call, Santner said, “Abhishek played it very smart. Sometimes he goes hard at the off-spinner but he gave it over to Sanju. And the first three overs are when the ball does the most. Then you can really capitalise on the last three of the powerplay like they did. If Sanju had got out it might have been another option for GP to bowl to the two left-handers. But when you’re not taking wickets it’s always a challenge.”
