Ahmedabad, March 8 (IANS) India’s historic 96-run win over New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final sparked an outpouring of praise from current and former cricketers, celebrating the team’s third T20 World Cup title and back-to-back triumph.
Former India captain Virat Kohli wrote on X, “Champions, Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat. Jai Hind.”
India legend Sachin Tendulkar added, “Winning the World Cup twice in a row, the first time any team has done so in the T20 format. Totally deserving and rightful winners of the trophy. What a fantastic performance by our team and a special brand of cricket on display. Well done, Team India. Jai Hind!”
Sanju Samson’s heroics were highlighted by former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh: “@IamSanjuSamson… was outstanding in the final… showed again why he’s a match-winner. Ishan Kishan… played a solid role… Jasprit Bumrah was truly special, the tougher the situation, the better he got! @akshar2026 was magical with the ball.”
India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill celebrated the collective effort. “So proud of our team. Winning a World Cup for India is the dream, and you’ve made the entire nation proud. Congratulations, boys.”
Former players like Wasim Jaffer noted India’s superiority. “This tournament showed how far ahead India is in T20 cricket. They were not at their best in the group stage, made mistakes, yet qualified. And in the big games, their batting might step up.”
Gautam Gambhir’s coaching was praised by Shreevats Goswami, who wrote, “Well done Gautam Gambhir. Still unbeaten in the finals, whether as a player or as a coach… Backed his players and the players have delivered & how. Well done @GautamGambhir #T20WorldCup2026final.”
Other reactions reflected pride and admiration across generations.
Ajinkya Rahane wrote, “Well-deserved T20 World Cup title for Team India. A campaign marked by strong performances and great teamwork.”
Harbhajan Singh penned, “Congratulations, Team India, in advance, before the network gets too busy. Super proud of our Team 🇮🇳 JAI HIND.”
Mayank Agarwal stated, “History defeated, history repeated… A dominant campaign that reflected the mindset, discipline, and hunger of champions. Well played, boys.”
Mohammad Kaif said, “We won !!! It’s that dream night where history was defeated, back-to-back WC win for team India!!”
VVS Laxman wrote, “A fantastic achievement built on belief, character and teamwork… Victories like this inspire millions of young cricketers across the country to dream big and work hard.”
Kevin Pietersen said, “Best team won the tournament! Best team by a mile, too!”
Mohammad Shami stated, “2007, 2024, 2026… Champions again. Proud of this incredible team that fought for the tricolour and brought joy to a billion hearts. Jai Hind.”
Virender Sehwag penned, “Pressure? Woh kya hota hai? Our Boys played like it was a Sunday gully match. World Champions, Bharat🇮🇳🏆, third time in T20 World Cups.”
From Sanju Samson’s explosive 89 to Bumrah’s devastating 4-15, the team’s collective brilliance under Suryakumar Yadav and the guidance of Gautam Gambhir drew admiration from across the cricketing world, celebrating India’s dominance in the shortest format and inspiring a nation.
--IANS
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