Nadiad (Gujarat) [India], March 9 (ANI): Indian all-rounder Axar Patel's father, Rajesh Patel, expressed joy over Team India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand on Sunday. Rajesh Patel highlighted Axar's three wickets and Jasprit Bumrah's four wickets, saying the team's collective effort made him especially proud, and shared that he congratulated Axar after the match.

Speaking to ANI after Team India's win over New Zealand, Rajesh Patel praised the contributions of the entire team and said, 'I am happy about the team's World Cup win. All the players contributed to the team's victory. While Axar took three wickets, Bumrah also claimed four wickets. The entire team worked hard and won the cup for India, so I am very happy. When Akshar called me, I congratulated him.'

Under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, India thrashed New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, by 96 runs to successfully defend their T20 World Cup title. The victory made India the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil, the first to win consecutive titles after their 2024 win, and the first to lift the trophy three times (2007, 2024, 2026).

In the match, Axar Patel delivered India's first blow when New Zealand were chasing the target. Axar claimed the wicket of the dangerous New Zealand opener Finn Allen, who came off a brilliant 33-ball century against South Africa in the semifinal. He also claimed the wickets of Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell and helped team India secure a dominant victory with a spell of 3/27 in 3 overs.

Jasprit Bumrah, on the other hand, was at his usual best, claiming figures of 4/15 in 4 overs.

NZ won the toss and elected to field first. However, a return-to-form, record-breaking fifty from Abhishek Sharma (52 in 21 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and his 98-run stand with Samson made NZ regret the decision. Later, Samson stitched a century stand with Ishan Kishan (54 in 25 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) to take India past the 200-run mark in the 16th over. After a brief slowdown, Shivam Dube (26* in eight balls, with three fours and two sixes) made some valuable runs to take India to 255/5, the highest total in T20 WC finals.

James Neesham (3/46) was the leading wicket-taker for NZ.

In the run-chase of 256 runs, Axar and Bumrah helped India reduce the Kiwis to 72/5, despite a half-century from Tim Seifert (52 in 26 balls, with two fours and five sixes). Despite a brief partnership between Daryl Mitchell (17) and skipper Mitchell Santner (43 in 35 balls, with three fours and two sixes), India kept chipping in with wickets, and the Kiwis were bundled out for just 159 runs. (ANI)