NZ have never won a T20I in Ahmedabad: Details
What's the story
New Zealand will take on India in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup final. The match is scheduled to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. This is New Zealand's second-ever appearance in a T20 World Cup final, having previously finished as runners-up in the 2021 edition. On this note, we look at New Zealand's T20I record in Ahmedabad.
Past performance
NZ's poor record at Narendra Modi Stadium
As per ESPNcricinfo, New Zealand's record at the Narendra Modi Stadium isn't great. They have played two T20I matches here and lost both. In their first match during the 2023 series against India, New Zealand lost by 168 runs - their biggest T20I defeat by runs to date. India racked up 234/4 in 20 overs on the back of Shubman Gill's incredible century (126*). The Black Caps, led by Mitchell Santner, were later bowled out for 66 in 12.1 overs.
Second encounter
Their other match at this venue
New Zealand's second match at the Narendra Modi Stadium was in the ongoing T20 World Cup against South Africa. They scored 175/7 while batting first thanks to Mark Chapman's 48 off 26 balls. However, South Africa successfully chased down the target and won by seven wickets. Despite these past results, New Zealand will be looking to turn things around in tomorrow's final against India.
Path to finals
New Zealand defeated South Africa in semi-finals
Meanwhile, New Zealand secured their spot in the final by defeating an unbeaten South African team in the semi-finals. The Black Caps showed their bowling prowess, restricting South Africa to a modest score of 168 runs. Finn Allen's explosive knock of an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls helped New Zealand chase down the target with nine wickets in hand and finish the match in just 12.5 overs.
Captain's words
Mitchell Santner says his team is ready to lift trophy
Ahead of the final, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said his team is looking to silence the crowd and lift the trophy. He said, "I wouldn't mind winning trophies. When you look at this group and the ones we've had in the past, we've been pretty consistent in these tournaments." He added that they focus on doing their job as a unit without getting overwhelmed by pressure.