India aim to retain T20 World Cup as they face New Zealand

Defending champions India take on New Zealand in the T-20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India hope to retain the title as a confident Kiwi side prepares for a tough challenge.

Ahmedabad: A sea of humanity will greet defending champions India and strong challengers New Zealand as the two teams clash in the T-20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the biggest cricket venue in the world (1,32,000 capacity), here on Sunday.

Just imagine the wave of expectations, the roar that greets the players, the aura of a World Cup final, and the kind of pressure such a high-voltage game brings with it, where heroes might turn villains and vice versa.

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By all means, the crowd should be hoping to erase the bad memories of the 2023 ODI World Cup when Rohit Sharma-led India lost to Australia at this ground.

So, when Suryakumar Yadav leads the home team against New Zealand, he should be conscious of a possible tryst with history – India in striking distance of becoming the first team to retain the World Cup!

Two superstars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the latter having led India to the T-20 World Cup (2024) in the West Indies, have left a legacy which is never easy to emulate. But the fact that this Indian team, since the exit of those two illustrious stars, has shown phenomenal consistency with a new captain SKY and new head coach Gautam Gambhir is worthy of appreciation.

Suryakumar, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohd Siraj, who were members of the 2024 edition-winning team, figure in this team. Despite the changing times in Indian cricket, these wonderful cricketers have ensured that the perfect mix of experience and youthful exuberance has really helped the team’s cause in recent times.

Except for one aberration against South Africa in the Super Eight fixture in this edition, India has ticked most of the boxes so far in this World Cup.

Sanju Samson rediscovering his class and consistency is the biggest plus in batting. Such was his roaring form and the brilliance of Ishan Kishan that even the failures of the explosive Abhishek Sharma never looked a major concern.

The depth of Indian batting, packed with six-hitting batters like Hyderabadi Tilak Varma and all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, has only made things tougher for the opposition consistently.

In bowling, any opposition might well count it as a 16-over game against India given the skill set Jasprit Bumrah showcases under pressure. Importantly, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh with the new ball has been brilliant.

All-rounders Hardik and Dube have made it really tough for the rival line-ups in any given situation. Yes, Varun Chakravarthy’s struggle may suggest that the ‘mystery’ element has been sorted out by the opponents. It will be interesting to see what Gambhir’s take on his selection will be tomorrow.

On the other hand, New Zealand, despite its thumping win against South Africa in the semifinal with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert being stand-out performers, has to raise the bar to a new high tomorrow. Beating the crowd and the home team will be a huge task for the Kiwis for sure.

There is depth in the New Zealand line-up too, both in batting and bowling, led efficiently by the smart Mitchell Santner.

The shortest format of the game is also the most unpredictable one! Will there be a huge surprise? Just wait and see!