New Delhi: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan hammered New Zealand bowlers as India posted the highest score ever in a T20 World Cup final match. After the defending champions were put into bat first, Samson and Abhishek took off in style as India went past their own record of 176/4 against South Africa in 2024 after scoring 255/5 runs in the first innings.
With history on the line, the Kiwis will need to chase 256 runs to clinch their maiden title while India will have to restrict them before that for a record third T20 World Cup title. This total was also India’s highest-ever score in this edition of the T20 spectacle as they surpassed their 253-run total scored against England in the semifinals.
253/7(20) IN SEMI FINAL.
255/5(20) IN FINAL.THIS IS NEW INDIA IN T20 CRICKET – Box office stuff, This is unstoppable 🥶 pic.twitter.com/Dsmc8x9tds
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 8, 2026
Records galore in Ahmedabad
Meanwhile, Samson and Abhishek started off on a fiery note accumulating 50 runs in just 4 overs and then posting the highest powerplay score of 92/0. The partnership between Samson and Abhishek also became the first 50-plus opening stand in the history of the competition. India also brought up the fastest team fifty and fastest team hundred, off 7.2 overs in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
While Samson scored 89 runs, Abhishek was out on 52 after smashing the fastest fifty in a T20 World Cup final match off just 18 balls. Ishan Kishan was quick to join the party as he smashed 54 off just 25 balls to push the Kiwis against the wall. At the end of the innings, Shivam Dube played a fantastic cameo of 26 runs in just 8 balls to push India’s score beyond 250 runs.
James Neesham was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis with three wickets while Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra also claimed a wicket each.