New Delhi: Head coach Gautam Gambhir described India’s triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as a moment of validation after a challenging period that saw the team face criticism following Test series defeats against New Zealand national cricket team, Australia national cricket team, and South Africa national cricket team.
India sealed the title with a commanding 96 run victory over New Zealand national cricket team in the final, becoming the first side to win three T20 World Cups and the first team to successfully defend the title. The win also marked the first time the tournament was retained on home soil.
Reflecting on the triumph, Gambhir said his accountability lies with the people inside the team environment rather than external voices. He emphasised that a coach’s success depends on the players and credited the squad for making him the coach he is today.
Despite the historic achievement, Gambhir chose to dedicate the victory to former India coach Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. He praised Dravid for helping build a strong foundation within the national team and acknowledged Laxman’s work in developing young talent through the National Cricket Academy pipeline.
Gambhir also expressed gratitude to chief selector Ajit Agarkar and Jay Shah, recalling how Shah supported him during a difficult phase following consecutive Test series defeats.
In the final, India delivered a dominant performance. The team piled up a massive 255 for five, driven by a blazing 89 from Sanju Samson and aggressive half centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah led the attack brilliantly with four wickets for 15 runs, while Axar Patel contributed with three wickets as New Zealand were bowled out for 159.
Gambhir also praised captain Suryakumar Yadav for his leadership and teamwork, highlighting their shared focus on collective success rather than individual milestones.
