India started off the T20 World Cup 2026 final in a dominating manner as openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson provided a perfect start to the side. The hosts who were put into bat posted 92 in the first 6 overs as Abhishek notched up a fifty in 18 deliveries. Samson too scored runs aggressively at the other end.
India are playing their fourth T20 World Cup final having won it in 2007 and 2024. The Men in Blue have walked on to the field as the defending champions and if they are able to win the match against New Zealand, India will become the first team to win three T20 World Cup titles and two on the trot.
ABHISHEK SHARMA SHOW IN THE FINALS. pic.twitter.com/I7t6SZA6lo
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 8, 2026
Hardik Pandya checking Abhishek Sharma’s bat and giving him some valuable tips before the IND vs NZ final.
The way Hardik Pandya is checking his bat and talking to him, it feels like Abhishek Sharma might make a strong comeback today and play a big innings. pic.twitter.com/03yroCXIZO
— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) March 8, 2026
My man Abhishek Sharma saved up all the runs for the biggest stage. pic.twitter.com/ncweF5IZBI
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) March 8, 2026
Abhishek Sharma just registered the fastest 50 of this T20 World Cup 2026, smashed 50 in just 18 balls vs New Zealand 🔥
My man is back in form for the biggest match of all 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/LuZBefla9I
— Fan Account Richard Kettlebourogh (@RichKettle07) March 8, 2026
The crowd in Ahmedabad grooves to Sukhbir’s 𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘲 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘱𝘢𝘷𝘦 ahead of the #T20WorldCup Final 🎵🕺
Catch the performances LIVE, broadcast details ▶️ https://t.co/NPykWM7qqY pic.twitter.com/MfOeNqzajR
— ICC (@ICC) March 8, 2026
Abhishek sharma and Sanju Samson duo in power play #INDvNZ #IndiaVsNewZealand pic.twitter.com/xSkdQtAjVG
— SwatKat💃 (@swatic12) March 8, 2026
Abhishek sharma 🔥 one man ARMY #INDvNZ #IndiaVsNewZealand pic.twitter.com/0O3PBZlweP
— GOATED EDITS (@goatededitss) March 8, 2026
Abhishek Sharma on fire 🔥 #IndiaVsNewZealand #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ #T20WorldCup2026finalpic.twitter.com/ayWuDFm6bQ
— Ram Chander (@stanvirat007) March 8, 2026
Finally Abhishek Sharma is playing #T20WorldCupFinal finals like a King of T20 format.
Welcome Back Abhishek Sharma 🔥🔥#IndiaVsNewZealand
— Sunanda Roy 👑 (@SaffronSunanda) March 8, 2026
Aaj Yuvi paji ke 1 mahine se draft mein pade tweets post honge.#T20WorldCup2026final #INDvNZ #IndiaVsNewZealand
— ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ (@VaibhavCha18) March 8, 2026
Abhishek Sharma aa Kottudu entra 🥵🔥🔥🔥#IndiaVsNewZealand pic.twitter.com/prxVRwY09V
— SAI VARMA 🇮🇳 (@i__m_vengeance) March 8, 2026
OMG… 300 loading on T20WC 😻#IndiaVsNewZealand
— ಜಗದೋದ್ಧಾರ’ನಾ’🤴🏻 (@babruvahanaa) March 8, 2026
🚨 HISTORY FOR ABHISHEK SHARMA 🚨
– Abhishek Sharma scored the fastest fifty in T20 World Cup Finals – The World No. 1 Batter. 🔥💙@OfficialAbhi04 | #AbhishekSharma | #T20WorldCup | #IndiaVsNewZealand pic.twitter.com/VWpEsXLpT5
— Abhishek Sharma Fc (@Abhishek_Fan_) March 8, 2026
Earlier, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bowl first.
“We are going to bowl first. Looks a good surface, a tinge of grass on it. So, I guess we’ll see if it does anything at the top. And we know obviously India have a lot of power to try to restrict them to, I guess, a chaseable score,” he said at the toss.
Playing XI
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand: Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
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