Ahmedabad, March 7, 2026: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has vowed to “not mind breaking a few hearts” as his side prepares to face defending champions and hosts India cricket team in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, expecting over 100,000 home fans.
Santner acknowledged New Zealand’s underdog status but expressed his ambition to win the nation’s first white-ball World Cup trophy. “It’s going to be obviously a challenge where everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites,” he said. “But yeah, I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once.”
New Zealand have had a mixed tournament, delivering a stunning nine-wicket semi-final win over unbeaten South Africa, powered by Finn Allen’s fastest-ever T20 World Cup century. However, they also suffered losses to South Africa and England earlier in the competition.
Santner sees the packed stadium and India’s momentum as an added pressure the hosts must manage, saying: “If we can go out there and try and put that added pressure on them, we’ll see what happens.”
India, aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and to lift the trophy on home soil for the first time, are chasing their third T20 World Cup title.
Santner drew parallels with the 2023 ODI World Cup final, when Australia silenced the home crowd in Ahmedabad, noting the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket and the potential for upsets.
With millions watching worldwide, New Zealand will look to turn the tables on the hosts and make history on Sunday.
