In a tournament defined by historic firsts, perhaps the most unexpected moment came off the pitch. Minutes after India clinched their third T20 World Cup title by crushing New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the legendary MS Dhoni broke his long hiatus from social media to pay a heartfelt tribute to head coach Gautam Gambhir. | IND vs NZ Final: Highlights | Scorecard |
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Dhoni, who was spotted in the VVIP box alongside Rohit Sharma and Jay Shah during the final, took to Instagram to share his joy with a rare post that instantly sent the internet into a frenzy.
“Coach Sahab’s smile looks great on you. Intensity with smile is a killer combination, very well done,” he wrote.
Dhoni’s contribution was a master class in his signature understated warmth. Dhoni highlighted the team’s transformation under the new management:
“History is being made in Ahmedabad. Big congratulations to the team and support staff and to all the fans of the Indian cricket team around the world. It’s a pleasure to see you all playing.” he added.
The ‘Coach Sahab’ remark was a direct nod to Gautam Gambhir, whose stoic and intense demeanor was talked about throughout his coaching tenure.
Dhoni’s playful reference to Gambhir’s rare post-victory smile served as a poignant bridge between the 2007 champions and the 2026 title holders, highlighting the warmth between the two cricketers. Gambhir and Dhoni have often been portrayed as not-so-good friends on social media, but they have proved the rumors wrong on several occasions.
MS DHONI PRAISES CHAMPION BOHAR
Perhaps the most rewarding part of Dhoni’s contribution was his playful confession about India’s pace. After Jasprit Bumrah’s dismantling of New Zealand top order with figures of 4/15, Dhoni wrote:
“(Not much blood left in BUMRAH. CHAMPION BOWLER) (sic)”.
Translated, the sentiment is, “It’s better if I don’t write anything about Bumrah.”
It was a classic recognition that the fast bowler’s performance was so dominant that standard epithets and journalistic superlatives would fall short. By choosing to say nothing, Dhoni actually said it all about Bumrah’s status as a modern-day great who has now steered India to a second consecutive T20 World Cup title.
The match itself was a one-sided affair which saw India exorcise the ghosts of the 2023 ODI World Cup final at this very venue. India’s explosive approach choosing to bat has reached its zenith. Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) tore the Black Caps attack to shreds and powered India to a mammoth 255 for 5 – the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.
Chasing a daunting target of 256, New Zealand never found their rhythm. Jasprit Bumrah came in early and removed Rachin Ravindra with the very first ball of his spell. Despite a fighting fifty from Tim Seifert, the Kiwis were bundled out for 159 in 19 overs. Bumrah came back to break through the middle order while Axar Patel shone with three wickets.
The win made India the first team to win three men’s T20 World Cup titles, surpassing England and the West Indies. Suryakumar Yadav also joined the league of legends – including Kapil Dev, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Harmanpreet Kaur – in the list of captains who led India to World Cup glory.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
09 Mar 2026 02:52 IST
