India Crush New Zealand by 96 Runs to Lift Third T20 World Cup

Seifert signals intent after first over

Arshdeep kept it tight to start. Six balls, 3 runs, Seifert couldn't lay bat on ball. Dube shelled a catch off Allen at mid-off to make things worse. Then Pandya came on and Seifert exploded. Clobbered a full ball over midwicket for six. Next ball, shuffled across and scooped him over fine leg into the India dugout. Two sixes in two balls. Pandya going at 19.50 already. Allen has survived a dropped chance and sits on 4 off 4. New Zealand need 239 off 110 balls. Required rate 13.03. India's win probability still reads 89.36% but if Allen remembers his 38-ball 80 against India last time out, this is far from over.

New Zealand need 256 to win

Samson and Abhishek put on 92/0 in the Powerplay, the joint-highest in T20 World Cup history. Abhishek smashed an 18-ball fifty, the fastest in a knockout game, before Ravindra nicked him off for 52. Samson then took over. Three sixes in a row off Ravindra. Back-to-back sixes off Ferguson into the sightscreen. He reached 89 off 46 before Neesham had him caught at long-on. Kishan made 54 off 25 alongside him, their partnership worth 105 off 48.

Then came the collapse as Neesham ripped through India. Three wickets in one over. Kishan, Suryakumar for a golden duck, all gone. India slid from 203/1 to 205/4. Pandya struggled for timing before clobbering a six and holing out next ball for 18.

Then Dube arrived. 26 off 8 balls. Three fours, two sixes. He butchered Neesham's final over for 24 runs, turning 231/5 into 255/5. Neesham finished 3/46. 18 sixes in the innings. 19 fours. 184 runs in boundaries alone.

Pandya gone for 18 off 13, clobbered a six then holed out next ball, India 226/5

Pandya gone for 18 off 13, clobbered a six then holed out next ball, India 226/5. He shuffled across and clobbered a rank full toss over deep midwicket for six. Called for a new bat. Then holed out to Santner off Henry next delivery. India have lost 4 wickets for 23 runs since being 203/1. The projected total has dropped from 269 to 247. Neesham finishes his spell at 3/22 from 3 overs, the performance of his life. Tilak Varma is in on 5 off 4. Ten balls remain.

Three wickets in one over and the captain gone first ball

Neesham is on a hat-trick. Samson, Kishan, then Suryakumar Yadav caught by Ravindra at deep backward square leg off a pick-up flick. A superhuman catch. The skipper gone for a golden duck. India have lost 3 wickets for 1 run in 6 balls. The projected total has crashed from 269 to 253. Pandya has 2 off 4 and looks scratchy. Tilak Varma walks in. From 203/1 to 205/4 in the space of one Neesham over. Ahmedabad has gone from party to panic. India still have 23 balls left but this final is wide open now.

Neesham 2 wickets in 5 balls, Samson 89 and Kishan 54 gone, India 204/3

Samson caught at long-on. Kishan follows four balls later. India went from 203/1 to 204/3 in a heartbeat. Pandya is in. 

Highest team score in a T20 World Cup final and still five overs left

Kishan brought up his fifty by whipping Santner down to long-on. The partnership between him and Samson now stands at 101 off 46 balls. This is already the highest team total in any T20 World Cup final and India still have 31 balls remaining. Samson needs 11 more for a hundred. Kishan heaved Santner for six over deep midwicket earlier in the over, a shot that looked mistimed but still cleared the rope comfortably. 

India 171/1 in 13 overs Samson 69(39) Kishan 42(18) Ferguson went for 24 in one over Projected 260 now Samson needs 31 for a World Cup final hundred Seven overs left. 

Two balls Two sixes Ferguson destroyed

Pulled over deep square leg Then smashed dead straight into the sightscreen Samson has five sixes tonight Ferguson's economy reads 24.66 India projected 247 now. 

Abhishek Sharma gone for 52. Ravindra strikes first ball.

The damage is done. Abhishek Sharma nicked off to Seifert first ball of Rachin Ravindra's spell, departing for a sensational 52 off just 21 balls. Six fours, three sixes, the fastest fifty in a T20 World Cup knockout.

Abhishek Sharma 51 off 19 balls

Abhishek Sharma has just hammered the fastest fifty of this tournament. In a World Cup final. He smashed Duffy for 20 off the sixth over alone, lofting a six down the ground, edging boundaries through the cordon, then watching Chapman accidentally deflect a catch attempt onto the rope. Samson sits on 33 off 17 at the other end, pulling Henry for six to close a fifth over that bled 21 runs. The opening partnership stands at 92 off just 36 balls. New Zealand's bowlers have conceded 8 wides already. India's win probability reads 92.85%. The projected total is 248.