Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has said, “There will certainly be some pressure. If there is no pressure, there is no fun in the game.”

As the defending champions India step onto the field for the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, it is not only the Indian captain who will feel this pressure; the Kiwi team will feel it just as much.

In the previous edition, India had defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final to claim the title after 17 years. Competing in a final against that same nation on Sunday will not be as straightforward for New Zealand as they might hope.

New Zealand have also returned to the T20 World Cup final after five years. If India win today’s match, the home team will make history by successfully defending a T20 World Cup title – something no team has ever done before.

India are now on the brink of their third title, having previously won in 2007 and 2024. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to be present at today’s final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, one of the largest cricket venues in the world.

In 2023, on this very ground, Australia had defeated India in the 50-over World Cup final. Now India step onto the same field with the goal of winning the T20 World Cup.

The unbeaten team

Despite some ups and downs, India had delivered an effective performance on its journey to the T20 World Cup final. After winning all group stage matches to advance to the Super 8, the team suffered a 67-run defeat against former runners-up South Africa, but since then the team has made a remarkable comeback.

The biggest story of India’s success has been written by Sanju Samson. He was brought into the top order at a time when Abhishek Sharma, who had arrived as the world’s number one T20 batter, was struggling to find consistent form. Samson scored an unbeaten 97 against West Indies, making a decisive contribution in taking India to the semi-finals. In the semi-final too, he played a brilliant innings of 89 against England to seal India’s victory. Samson’s form, alongside Ishan Kishan, has made the Indian top order considerably more balanced.

Many consider India’s current T20 team to be the greatest of all time. Since August 2023, India have not lost a single series or tournament. Since the start of the current T20 World Cup, India have won seven matches for every one defeat – an impressive record. New additions like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Varun Chakravarthy have joined the title-winning 2024 squad this time, making the team even stronger and more aggressive.

Before the tournament began, India had brought in Ishan Kishan in place of Shubman Gill, and then Samson was also recalled mid-tournament. Despite two changes to the squad, the team’s balance has not been affected at all; if anything, the team appears even more balanced.

T20 cricket is the most unpredictable and rapidly changing format of the game. For this reason, there has been talk of various precautions India have taken throughout the tournament; team members have reportedly been regularly visiting temples, avoiding practice during a lunar eclipse, and even changing hotels ahead of the final.

Always the underdog

New Zealand, who India face in the final today, are once again regarded as the underdog. However, the team is considered dangerous for its ability to perform comfortably under pressure. Since 2019, New Zealand hold the record for playing the most ICC tournament semi-finals. Yet the team has not been able to win any limited-overs World Cup to date.

New Zealand had reached the T20 World Cup final for the first time in 2021, but their dream of winning a first title was shattered when they were defeated by Australia by eight wickets. This time, captain Mitchell Santner has expressed his determination to win the title even if it means breaking the hearts of Indian fans.

“Everyone knows we are not the favorites. But if we have to break someone’s heart to lift the title once, so be it,” he says.

Since 2019, India and New Zealand have been evenly matched in ICC knockout matches. New Zealand won the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final and the 2021 World Test Championship, while India won the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final and the most recent Champions Trophy final.

New Zealand had a mixed run in this World Cup, however. In the semi-final, they produced a stunning nine-wicket victory over South Africa. In that match, Finn Allen smashed 6 fours and 4 sixes off just 33 balls to score the tournament’s fastest century. However, New Zealand had earlier suffered a seven-wicket loss to South Africa in the group stage and a four-wicket defeat to England in the Super 8.

As a result, New Zealand had to rely on net run rate to secure a semi-final spot. But after Allen’s 100 off 33 balls dismantled South Africa in the semi-final, the team’s confidence has soared. New Zealand chased down the target of 169 runs in just 12.5 overs to claim a brilliant nine-wicket victory.

In this context, analysts across the board agree that the final between India and New Zealand is set to be a thrilling contest.