New Delhi:New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that his team was comprehensively outplayed by India in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after the hosts secured a massive 96 run victory to successfully defend the title.
Speaking after the match, Santner expressed pride in his team’s journey to the final, highlighting the effort shown by the squad despite facing several challenges during the tournament. He acknowledged that India produced a superior performance in front of a passionate home crowd.
Santner noted that his team fought hard throughout the competition and delivered strong performances in the earlier stages, but the final proved to be a difficult contest against a powerful Indian side. He also pointed out the overwhelming support for the hosts in the stadium, describing the atmosphere as a sea of blue backing the home team.
The New Zealand skipper also spoke about the unique pressure of playing a World Cup on home soil. According to him, such expectations can weigh heavily on a team, but he praised India for handling that pressure with confidence and composure throughout the tournament. He also congratulated India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates for their consistent performances.
In the final, India produced a dominant display after being put in to bat. Explosive knocks from Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan powered the hosts to a formidable total of 255 for five.
New Zealand attempted a response in the chase, with Tim Seifert scoring a fighting half century, but the target proved too steep. India’s bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, dismantled the batting lineup and restricted New Zealand to 159.
With the victory, India secured their third T20 World Cup title and became the first team to successfully defend the trophy while also winning the tournament as hosts.
