Samson and Bumrah star as India beat NZ to retain T20 World Cup title

AHMEDABAD, India, March 8 : India became the first team to retain the men's Twenty20 World Cup title after handing out a 96-run demolition of New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

India also became the first team to lift the title three times, while New Zealand's wait for a maiden white-ball World Cup continues.

The victory will taste particularly sweet for India since it came at a venue where they were beaten by Australia in the final of the 50-overs World Cup three years ago.

Put in to bat, India capitalised on a 98-run opening stand between Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) to rack up 255-5.

Number three Ishan Kishan smashed 54 but James Neesham bowled a three-wicket over to apply the brakes on India's scoring rate towards the end of the innings.

Chasing such a daunting target, New Zealand could not recover from a top-order collapse and were all out for 159 in 19 overs despite defiant knocks by Tim Seifert (52) and Mitchell Santner (43).

"This feels extremely special because I've played one final in my home venue but couldn't win that one, but today I won," said India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, whose 4-15 fetched him player of the match award.

"I knew the wicket was a flat one so had to use all my experience."

Samson, who smashed his third successive 80-plus knock, was adjudged player of the tournament.

Earlier, wary of having to bowl with a hard-to-grip, dew-soaked ball later in the evening, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner elected to field.

New Zealand used four different bowlers in the first four overs but could not stop India from milking 92 without losing a wicket after the six powerplay overs.

BATTING CARNAGE

Rachin Ravindra dismissed Abhishek with his first ball to bring relief