T20 WC 2026 final: NZ elect to field against India
What's the story
The iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is playing host to the high-octane ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand. The Kiwis eye their maiden T20 World Cup title, while India hope to become the first team to win three editions and defend their title. NZ captain Mitchell Santner has won the toss and elected to field.
Teams
A look at the two XIs
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah. New Zealand (Playing XI): Tim Seifert (wicket-keeper), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (captain), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, and Jacob Duffy.
Journey
Journey of the two teams
India reached the final after a hard-fought semi-final victory over England. Their only defeat in this tourney came against South Africa. Meanwhile, New Zealand cruised into the title clash with a commanding nine-wicket win over South Africa. The Kiwis have lost two games - against SA and England. Though they were the underdogs heading into the semis, NZ thrashed the Proteas in that fixture.
Information
How will the pitch behave?
The pitch will be a mix of red and black soil. The surface, which has more red soil than black, is designed to provide good bounce and pace while minimizing turn. This is similar to the pitch used in the India-England semi-final.
Record
Head-to-head record
As per ESPNcricinfo, the two sides have clashed in 30 T20Is, with India winning 18 of them. This includes a couple of Super-Over wins. NZ have won 11, while one resulted in a tie. However, the Kiwis have a perfect 3-0 record against India in T20 World Cups. On Indian soil, the hosts boast 11 wins and five defeats against NZ.
Venue stats
Can India break Narendra Modi Stadium jinx?
Team India has a decent record at the Narendra Modi Stadium, winning seven out of 10 T20Is played here. However, the venue has also witnessed some painful defeats, including the ODI World Cup final loss to Australia in 2023 and India's heaviest-ever T20 World Cup defeat (by 76 runs) against South Africa during the Super 8 clash in this tournament.
Information
Batting first favors India!
It is worth noting that India won both their T20 World Cup titles while batting first. The Men in Blue defended 157 against Pakistan in 2007 and 176 against South Africa in 2024.