New Delhi, Aug. 21 -- When India won the T20 World Cup 2026 final by 96 runs, the margin flattered neither the match nor the contest that preceded it. New Zealand had reached the final by eliminating South Africa in the semi-final through Finn Allen's 33-ball century, the second fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history, then ran into Jasprit Bumrah at the peak of his powers in conditions that gave him nothing and from which he extracted everything.

India 1st innings 201/4 (Rohit Sharma 68, Suryakumar Yadav 54; Santner 2-29), New Zealand 1st innings 105 all out (Allen 22, Conway 18; Bumrah 4-12, Arshdeep Singh 3-19). India won by 96 runs.

The margin disguised how competitive the tournament had been. New Zealand's pace attack, rebuilt aft...