IND vs NZ Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! CAUGHT! It is all over. Abhishek bowls it on a length outside off at 70.3 kph. Slower through the air, the ball grips and turns. Duffy goes for a flat-batted hit down the ground but mistimes it. Tilak Varma settles under it near the ropes and completes a fine catch. He lobs the ball up in the air, sensing he might step onto the ropes, but he is well inside the field and calmly takes it again. A comprehensive win for the Men in Blue as Eoin Morgan on air mentions that this is India's biggest win in a T20 World Cup match. The celebrations start in the Indian dugout and the noise is absolutely deafening at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The ghosts of 2023 have been exorcised in 2026 as INDIA WIN THE T20 WORLD CUP for the third time and defend their crown in a commanding fashion. India win by 96 runs.

Slower through the air, full and outside off, Ferguson carves it to the left of mid off for a single.

A touch short, on off, Jacob flat bats it over the bowler. Long on cuts it off to his left. One taken.

Dropped short, on top of off. Lockie Ferguson rocks back and tries to pull, but miscues it over mid on for a single.

Duffy advances and slaps this length ball to deep extra cover for a single.

Short on off, Lockie shimmies down the track and mistimes the heave to long on for a single.

Deceived! Pace-off delivery, full and just outside the off stump line. Jacob Duffy swings for the hills, only to miss. A superb spell from Jasprit Bumrah as he ends with figures of 4-0-15-4.

Once again, this is full and slow, on off. Lockie turns it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Full toss on leg, whipped to deep mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! BOWLED! Bumrah has his fourth wicket of the finale. He rolls his fingers on the leather and takes pace off, executing the yorker. Lands the ball right at the base of the middle pole as Mitchell Santner tries to slog it over the leg side. He swings his bat months early before the ball arrives and misses. The ball dips below his bat and makes an absolute mess of the stumps.

Short and nipping away from middle. Santner stands tall and eases it straight to the backward point fielder.

That dipping slower one, just outside off, on a fuller length. Santner clears the front leg and has a swing across the line, but fails to connect.

A toe-crushing yorker, tailing in from middle. Mitchell Santner flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Slower short ball, far outside off. Santner lets it be as it breaches the tramline.

FOUR! In the gap! Singh misfires another full toss, on the pads. Santner backs away and heaves it to the leg side, bisecting the long on and deep mid-wicket fielders for a boundary. 150 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND!

Slips in a full toss, on off, Ferguson hits it on the bounce to long off for a run.

From around the stumps now. Full and on middle, Lockie drives it straight to the cover fielder.

Seeing Santner shuffle outside leg, Arshdeep fires the yorker at the toes of the batter to cramp him for space. The Kiwi skipper carves it through mid off for a run.

WIDE! Goes for the slower one, but way down the leg side on a fuller length. Santner swings his bat before the ball dips and misses to connect. Wided.

A full toss that tails in from middle to leg. Santner drills it down to long on and denies the single.

Full toss, on off, Mitchell Santner forces it to long off for one more.

No hat-trick for Bumrah! In the blockhole, on middle, Lockie Ferguson manages to jam it out towards short third for one.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Jasprit Bumrah is on a hat-trick now! This is another excellent slower yorker, dipping in, too good for any batter, let it be a tail-ender. Matt Henry backs away to play at it, but plays all over it, and the ball goes through to rattle the stumps once more.

OUT! CASTLED! Boom Boom strikes now. A pinpoint yorker, on middle, takes pace off as well. James Neesham clears his front leg to go big across the line but goes through the shot very early. He misses it completely as the ball goes through and hits the base of the middle stump.

Full toss, on leg, Mitchell Santner heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Good length and on off, Mitchell Santner pushes it to extra cover.

WIDE! Slower bouncer, on middle, but a bit too high. Mitchell Santner ducks under it. Another wide.

Another fine yorker, on middle, moves in, James Neesham jams it back to the bowler.

A low full toss, on leg, James Neesham clips it away wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Gets the yorker right, on middle, tailing in, James Neesham looks to dig it out but misses and gets hit on his toes.

WIDE! Short but way outside off this time, James Neesham throws his bat but fails to reach it. Called a wide again.

WIDE! Pitched up but down the leg side, James Neesham shuffles across to scoop but misses. Wided.

Full toss, on middle and leg, Mitchell Santner lofts it to long on for a single.

A mix-up but no harm done! Fuller and on middle, angling in, Mitchell Santner looks to loft it but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls towards backward point. Santner sets off for the run but is sent back. The fielder misses his shy at the batter's end, with Santner putting in a desperate dive to save himself.

Clever bowling! Arshdeep Singh sees the batter back away, bangs this into the pitch, outside off, takes pace off as well. Mitchell Santner is too far away to reach out for the ball.

Right in the blockhole, on leg, Mitchell Santner tucks it away through mid-wicket for one more. 122 needed in 36 balls.

Short of a length and on middle, James Neesham pulls it to deep square leg for one.

Fuller and around leg, Mitchell Santner flicks it away to deep backward square leg for another run.

Hard length and on middle, James Neesham heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

WIDE! Fuller but way outside off, James Neesham leaves it alone. Wided.

Back of a length and on leg, Mitchell Santner pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

A shout for LBW, but turned down! Hardik Pandya bowls a slower, dipping yorker, on middle and leg. Mitchell Santner tries to slog it away but the ball sneaks under his bat to hit his back toe. Pandya looks confident and convinces SKY to take the review. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved, but Ball Tracking shows it is pitching outside leg. The on-field call of Not Out stands.

FOUR! Put away! Floated, full and on leg, James Neesham goes down and swipes it away to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

OUT! TAKEN! Axar Patel gets his third now. He bowls a juicy full toss, on middle. Daryl Mitchell tries to slog it away but gets it high on the bat. He loses his shape and mistimes the shot straight to deep mid-wicket, where Ishan Kishan takes his third catch of the game. The easiest one of the three. The Kiwis are six down now.

Full and outside off, Daryl Mitchell reaches out in front for the sweep but is beaten.

Short and on leg, Mitchell Santner nudges it through mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Misfield now! Flatter, full and outside off, Mitchell Santner drills it away towards point, where Hardik Pandya gets low but lets it through his legs for a boundary. The 50-run partnership comes up between Santner and Daryl Mitchell.

DROPPED! Hardik Pandya drops a sitter here! Floated, full and outisde off, Mitchell Santner throws his bat at it. He ends up slicing it in the air towards point, where Hardik Pandya moves to his right but spills it out.

Quicker on middle, on a length, Santner punches it through cover for a run.

SIX! Hardik watches that as a bystander. A real slot ball again, on off. Mitchell Santner clears the front leg, crouches low and pumps it behind long on for a huge six. Geez, that is a long hit indeed.

SIX! High and handsome! Varun pushes it full and on the stumps, from around the wicket. Mitchell Santner takes a couple of babysteps ahead and tonks it cleanly over the long off fence.

Around off, on a length, crunched through point for a single.

Full again, around off. Santner gets down to slog sweep against the spin but gets a leading edge wide of short third for a single.

Full, googly that spins back in from off. Daryl heaves it off the inner half to deep square leg for a single.

Full and wide outside off at 134.3 kph. Mitchell lunges forward, reaches for it and throws his hands at the drive, but gets it off the toe end towards deep backward point for a single. And now Arshdeep and Mitchell share a handshake as the two come together at the non-striker’s end.

It's heating up in the middle! A low full toss outside off by Arshdeep. Daryl Mitchell has already shuffled across again and tries to heave to the leg side, but gets it off the inner half. Arshdeep Singh collects the ball on his follow-through and throws it back at the batter in frustration. It strikes Mitchell on the pads, and he immediately throws his arms up in protest as Singh turns back to his bowling mark. That was absolutely needless from Arshdeep.

A bit too full, outside off, Daryl toe ends his drive to the cover fielder.

WIDE! Far beyond the cut strip as Daryl shuffles across off to thrash that away, but misses to connect. Wide called.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Into the slot, on leg. Daryl Mitchell clears the front leg and sends it sailing 89 meters behind deep mid-wicket for a six. 100 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND!

SIX! Just goes over! It is that man again, Ishan Kishan, with a good effort. But it goes in vain this time. Fuller length around off. Mitchell shuffles across and heaves it across the line, getting enough on it to find Kishan at deep square leg. He takes the catch, but ends up stepping on the boundary ropes while doing so.

Cannons onto the pads, on a fuller length, Santner pushes it through mid on for a single.

Off cutter, into the pitch, around middle. Mitchell Santner punches it straight down the ground for a single as long off cuts it off. At the halfway mark, New Zealand are crawling at 88/5.

Pitched outside leg, full in length, Santner misses the flick shot and wears the ball on his front pad. The Kiwi skipper admonishes himself for not putting that away.

Slower one, outside off, on a length, Daryl Mitchell slashes it to the right of deep point for a single.

Nagging length, around off, Santner punches it on the up through mid off for a single.

Length ball, slanting into the batter, Santner tucks it in the vast mid-wicket space for a couple.

Dug in short, over middle. Mitchell Santner ducks under it.

Good effort in the deep by Tilak. Touch short, around middle, turning back in. Santner rocks back and punches it past the left of short extra cover. Tilak at long off runs to his right and slides near the ropes to keep the ball in play. Excellent running between the wickets by the batters as they pick up three runs. The replay shows that Varma has saved a run for his team.

FOUR! Edgy! Length delivery around the fifth stump, 92 kph. Santner rocks back, opens the bat face and punches it past the left of backward point for a boundary.

Length ball, on off, sliding in, Santner punches it to cover.

FOUR BYES! Goodness me, how has that missed the stumps? A googly on a length outside off. It sneaks past the outside edge and just sails over the top of the bails, outfoxing Samson as well and races behind to the fence.

Full and outside off. Santner gets on the front foot, plays with the spin, stays leg side of the ball, opens the face of the bat and guides it towards short third.

OUT! CAUGHT IN THE DEEP! It is just like a hammer blow on the Kiwis. A spectacular catch from Ishan Kishan yet again. Seifert miscues the pull on this short ball towards the deep mid-wicket region. Kishan moves to his right at deep mid-wicket to take it. Sensing he might lose his balance, he lobs the ball up momentarily but keeps himself inside the field of play and safely completes the catch. Tim Seifert departs after a breezy knock, and New Zealand are 72/5 now.

Bangs it in short and keeps it out of the hitting arc, near the tramline. Tim is made to reach out and he bunts it towards cover for a single.

Over off, pace taken off, on a short of a length. Mitchell hops deep in the crease and turns it in front of deep mid-wicket for a single to get off the mark.

OUT! CHOPPED ON! Mark Chapman drops his head in disappointment. Pushed across the left-hander, on a good length, Chapman reaches out to thrash it through the off side, but the ball catches the inside edge and deflects back onto the stumps. After an expensive first over, Hardik has struck back in his second over. New Zealand are now 70/4, chasing 256.

Hardik rolls his fingers over the ball, on a short of a good length. Mark does not pick the change of pace and goes through the pull early. Ends up connecting with fresh air.

Into the deck, on off, Tim stands tall on his toes and whips it to wide long on for one.

Short and wide on off, this is slapped to deep cover for a single.

SIX! The punches keep coming from Tim Seifert. He gets to his FIFTY in style. Varun Chakaravarthy offers a bit of flight, full and on off. Seifert just holds his shape and swings through the line to park it behind long on for a biggie. Back-to-back fifties for Seifert.

Had to hurry! Around off, on a length, Tim whips it wide of deep mid-wicket and wants to come back for the second run. Ishan Kishan swoops in and gets rid of the ball quickly. Fires it on the bounce at the bowling end, where Varun Chakaravarthy fails to gather it and Chapman gets home with a dive. A clean pick-up could have been interesting.

SIX! Tim Seifert makes it look so easy! This is flighted up slightly, on a length, outside off. Seifert stays leg side of the ball and does not try to overhit this one. A clean swing of the arms and he pumps it over long on for a six.

A bit fuller, drifting in at the pads. Chapman nudges it through mid-wicket and turns the strike over.

From around the wicket for the left-hander, short and outside off, Chapman punches it off the back foot back towards the bowler.

Floats it up first up, full and on off. Tim Seifert presses forward and drives it down to long on for a single.

Off-cutter, on a length, on middle. Tim is slightly early into the shot and chips it down to long on for a run. Another tidy over from Bumrah. At the end of the Powerplay, New Zealand are 52/3 in pursuit of 256.

Dug in short, on off. Tim Seifert gets on his toes and drags the pull in front of square, wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Seifert will feel that he missed out. A dipping full toss, at thigh height, on off. Seifert looks to go across the line but ends up squeezing out an inside edge onto the pads and the ball goes nowhere.

Not in control but Chapman gets away with it! Bumrah hits the hard length, over middle. Chapman charges down the track and has a swipe across the line. The ball kicks up a bit to catch the top edge and it flies down to deep third. Tilak Varma runs in off the ropes and puts in the dive, but the ball does not carry. It deflects away from his body for a single.

Nails the yorker, on middle. Mark hurriedly gets his bat down and keeps it out.

Angled in, on a good length, on off and middle. Tim checks his drive as he plays it to long on for a single.

Keeps the stumps in play, on a length, Mark pushes it back to Axar. End of another successful over from Patel.

OUT! TIMBER! The leg stump goes for a toss. Wickets off successive overs for Axar Patel. Under-cutter by Patel, full and sliding on with the arm, on middle and leg. Glenn Phillips stays rooted to the crease and swings hard at it to force it away. The ball keeps coming into him and skids through to go past the inside edge before uprooting the leg pole. New Zealand are 3 down for 47, chasing 256.

This skids through and it is a bit fuller at the sticks. GP plays it back to Axar.

FOUR! Nicely done! Pushed through by Axar, on a nagging length, on middle. Glenn Phillips picks up the length early and hits it over the man at mid on for a boundary.

Flatter and fuller, outside off, Tim gets the front leg out of the way again and slams it towards long off for a single.

SIX! That has gone back many a mile! Axar drops it a bit too short, on middle. Seifert rocks back, clears the front leg and pummels it over wide long on for a biggie.

Overpitched and on off, Glenn Phillips drills it towards extra cover.

Low full toss, tailing back in on the pads. Seifert clips it through square leg for a single.

Short of a length and outside off, Tim Seifert hops up to cut it away but ends up chopping it into the pitch, behind to the keeper.

Pace off, full and outside off, Tim Seifert reaches out and slices it over extra cover for a brace.

Fuller and on off, Glenn Phillips drives it towards mid off for one.

OUT! CAUGHT! Jasprit Bumrah once again strikes first ball. He did it in the semis and now in the final as well. Starts with a slower one, full and on leg, Rachin Ravindra looks to flick it away but goes through the shot early. Gets it from the toe-end of the bat as the ball flies in the air towards deep square leg, where Ishan Kishan runs forward and dives to take a superb catch, inches above the ground. The ball almost pops out of his grasp, but he does well to keep hold of it, even as his cap briefly blocks his vision while he tumbles to the ground. New Zealand are 32/2, chasing 256 runs.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Tim Seifert looks to push it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads.

Flatter, full and on leg, Rachin Ravindra swipes it to the left of deep square leg for a run.

OUT! TAKEN! Axar Patel draws first blood. He bowls this short again, on middle, angling in. Finn Allen tries to move back and pull it but does not get enough room to free his arms. He ends up hitting it much straighter and down the throat of long on, where Tilak Varma takes an easy catch ahead of the ropes. The centurion from the last game walks back early here. New Zealand are 31/1, chasing 256.

FOUR! Nice shot! Quicker one, shortish and on off. Finn Allen moves back and swats it down the ground, beating long on to his left for a boundary.

Short again and on middle, angling in, Tim Seifert stays back and nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.

Dragged back and on middle, Finn Allen rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! 21 runs off the over! Goes back to his fuller length and on off. Tim Seifert gets underneath it and blasts it over the bowler's head for four more runs.

FOUR! Gets it through! Back of a length and around off. Tim Seifert hangs back and punches it between extra cover and mid off for a boundary now.

Good length and on off, Tim Seifert heaves it off the inner half of the bat towards mid-wicket.

SIX! Innovative and effective! Pitches it up and just on off. Tim Seifert moves across early, gets into position and nails the scoop this time over the fine leg fence for another biggie.

SIX! BANG! First one of the chase! Fuller in length and on middle. Tim Seifert clears his front leg out and tonks it over the long on fence for a biggie.

Hardik Pandya lands this back of a length and on middle, Finn Allen shuffles across and scoops it wide of deep fine leg for a single.

Low full toss, on off, Finn Allen bunts it out to mid off for one.

DROPPED! A big chance goes begging! Arshdeep Singh sticks to the fuller length, on off, moving away, takes pace off as well. Finn Allen looks to loft it away but his bat turns in his hands and he mistimes it high in the air. Shivam Dube backpedals at mid off, settles under it and tries to reverse cup it, but the ball bursts through his hands and drops to the ground. Two taken. Allen gets an early life here. Ian Bishop informs on air that this is the 15th dropped catch from India in this World Cup, the most by any team.

Full again and on middle, shapes in a touch, Finn Allen drills it towards mid on. 4 balls and just 1 run so far.

Pitched up and on middle, swinging in sharply, Tim Seifert looks to flick but misses as the ball goes off his pads towards short fine. A leg bye taken. New Zealand are underway with extras.

Swing and a miss! Back of a length and on off, angling across the right-hander. Tim Seifert has a big heave across the line but fails to connect.

A dot to start! Arshdeep Singh serves this full and on off, shaping in, Tim Seifert bunts it out towards mid off.