India’s Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson (ANI Photo) The Indian national cricket team produced a record-breaking batting display as they posted the highest total in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as they smashed 255 for five against the New Zealand national cricket team at the 2026 Summit in Ahmedabad on Sunday.Defending champions India were ruthless after being called into bat, with Sanju Samson leading the charge with a stunning 89 off 45 balls. The wicket-keeper batsman attacked from the very start and combined with Abhishek Sharma to dismantle the New Zealand attack.
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The opening pair stitched together a stunning 98-run stand in just 7.1 overs, creating the perfect platform for a mammoth total. Abhishek hit a quickfire 52 before Ishan Kishan continued the onslaught with an explosive 54 off just 25 deliveries.
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With authority and relentless aggression, India raced past the 200-run mark in just 15 overs, leaving the Kiwi bowlers struggling for a reply.Samson’s knock also created history as his 89 became the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final. The Indian star surpassed the previous best of 85 not out by Marlon Samuels in 2016 and 85 by Kane Williamson in 2021.
Highest team total in T20 WC
260/6 – SL vs KEN, Johannesburg, 2007256/4 – IND vs ZIM, Chennai, 2026255/5 – IND vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 2026, Final254/6 – WI vs ZIM, Mumbai WS, 2026253/7 – IND vs. ENG, Mumbai WS, 2026 SF246/7 – ENG vs IND, Mumbai WS, 2026 SFNew Zealand pulled things back briefly in the 16 overs when James Neesham struck three times in the space of six balls, dismissing Samson, Kishan and skipper Suryakumar Yadav to halt India’s onslaught.However, Shivam Dube ensured India finished strong with an unbeaten 26, hammering 24 runs out of the final through Neesham. India plundered 52 runs in the last five overs to push the total to a daunting 255 for five.The score is now the highest ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final and ranks among the highest totals in the history of the tournament.India’s dominance with the bat was also evident in the overall T20 landscape. The team now holds the record for most 250 plus totals in men’s T20 cricket with seven, ahead of the likes of Sunrisers Hyderabad and the West Indies cricket team.India also became only the second side to register three 250-plus totals in a single T20 competition, matching the feat achieved by Sunrisers Hyderabad during the 2024 Indian Premier League season.India once again underlined their dominance in the shortest format of the game with their explosive batting display on the biggest stage.
