T20 WC 2026: Ishan Kishan dedicates win to late sister
What's the story
Ishan Kishan's stellar performance in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup final against New Zealand was coincided by a personal tragedy. The wicketkeeper-batter scored a quickfire 54 (25) and took three catches, leading India to their third T20 World Cup title. However, his father, Pranav Pandey, was not present at the stadium as he had just lost two family members in a car accident on Friday.
Accident details
Two kids survived the tragic incident
The car crash that claimed the lives of Kishan's cousin and brother-in-law took place while they were en route to a wedding. Their two children, aged six months and three years old, survived the incident. Despite the tragedy, Kishan chose to stay back for the final match instead of visiting his grieving family.
Emotional tribute
Kishan dedicated his innings to his late cousin sister
After scoring his third half-century of the 2026 T20 World Cup, Kishan pointed toward the sky in an emotional tribute. In the post-match press conference, he revealed that he lost his cousin (sister) in a road accident and dedicated his innings to her. "This is for her. I got to know about it yesterday and was very disturbed," he said, revealing how deeply affected he was by the news.
Resilience
Kishan's focus was commendable
Despite the personal loss, Kishan remained focused on his game. He took three brilliant catches to dismiss key players like Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, and Daryl Mitchell. His resilience was evident as he continued to interact with fans and give interviews to the broadcaster. Overall, Kishan concluded the tournament with 317 runs from nine matches at a strike rate of 193.29.