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March 8, 2026

Ind vs Nz Final Live: New Zealand Opts to Bowl First as India Face Ultimate Title Defense in Ahmedabad

Ind vs Nz Final Live: New Zealand Opts to Bowl First as India Face Ultimate Title Defense in Ahmedabad

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has won the toss and elected to bowl first. 

Santner cited the potential for dew later in the evening and the "silencing the crowd" strategy that has worked for teams in Ahmedabad before. 

India captain Suryakumar Yadav mentioned he would have preferred to bat first anyway to set a massive total in this high-pressure final.

Both teams opt for continuity over tactical gambles for this historic India vs NZ final. The atmosphere is electric as the 2026 T20 World Cup reaches its climax.

India Playing XI for T20 World Cup Final:

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh

New Zealand Playing XI for T20 World Cup Final:

Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson