India is pumped up and ready to play the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand. In fact, the team is so excited about the game that head coach Gautam Gambhir is also ready to play the game at the top if he allows it, India captain Suryakumar Yadav joked.
India beat England in a high-tempo semi-final on Thursday, March 5. Despite scoring a mammoth 253 runs, India won by just seven runs thanks to a fantastic century by Jacob Bethell. After the thrilling win, Suryakumar revealed that the team was in high spirits ahead of the climactic encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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“If it was in his power, he would have padded and batted. He has been in these situations, won the World Cup,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said at a pre-match press conference.
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The India captain also praised Gautam Gambhir for the brand of cricket he has imbibed in the team. Suryakumar said Gambhir removed the milestone culture from the party. Surya added that Gambhir’s Indian team is focused on getting the best out of themselves and fulfilling the roles assigned to them.
“His mantra has been that in a sport like this, every contribution should come together. He believes you can’t win tournaments with the contribution of one or two players. He focuses on getting the best out of each player. In the batting department, he wants everyone to focus. The main thing is that he has removed the idea of personal milestones from the team. It’s a team game,” Suryakumar Yadav.
CLOTHING CULTURE
The Indian order batted against the English side. Apart from Abhishek Sharma, who got out after scoring nine runs, no other batsman had a strike rate below 170. The captain highlighted the cameos made in the match and said even Tilak Varma’s 18 off 7 balls was worth its weight in gold.
“If you see the last match, Tilak made 18 off 7 balls. We treat it like if someone gets a fifty or a hundred. That was the culture in the dressing room. That is what he is focusing on,” said Suryakumar Yadav.
“For him, there is nothing bigger than the team goal. If it guarantees us to hit a six off the first delivery we face, then we have to hit it. If it allows us to put our natural game aside and play to the conditions, then we have to do it. That’s his theory. It spreads a lot of positivity and creates a great environment,” he concluded.
India will take on a tricky New Zealand side who defeated one of the tournament favourites, South Africa, in the semi-finals. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert tore South Africa apart in a 170-run chase. Allen scored a hundred in just 33 balls, helping New Zealand chase down the target in less than 13 overs.
The final against New Zealand will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The game takes place on the Black Earth, where a high-scoring encounter is expected.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
07 March 2026 20:33 IST
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