T20 World Cup final: Kapil Dev, Dhoni, Rohit Sharma to Priety Zinta and Aparshakti Khurana- celebs galore at India vs NZ
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a star-studded evening as India faced New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup final, with thousands of fans filling the stands and several celebrities joining the excitement.
Among those spotted cheering for Team India were Aparshakti Khurana, Karan Kundrra, and Tejasswi Prakash, who were seen enjoying the high-voltage match from the stadium.
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Aparshakti Khurana attended the game wearing Team India’s jersey and was also briefly captured on the live TV broadcast. His elder brother, actor Ayushmann Khurrana, noticed the moment and shared a screenshot on X.
“Bhai dikh gaya #WorldCup2026,” he captioned the post.
Cricket Legends And Celebrities In The Stands
The high-profile final also drew several well-known personalities. Former World Cup-winning India captains Kapil Dev, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma were present in Ahmedabad as India took on the Kiwis.
Actor Preity Zinta was also spotted at the stadium, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the match as well.
The massive turnout of celebrities added to the electrifying atmosphere at the world’s largest cricket stadium.
India Post Record T20 World Cup Final Total
On the field, India delivered a spectacular batting performance, posting 255/6, the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.
The innings was powered by brilliant half-centuries from Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, along with an explosive cameo from Shivam Dube.
Dube remained unbeaten on 26 off just 8 balls, smashing James Neesham for 24 runs in the final over to push India’s score to a massive total.
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New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner had earlier won the toss and elected to field.
India’s Explosive Start
India’s opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma gave the team a flying start, capitalising on loose bowling during the powerplay.
After a cautious start, the duo accelerated quickly, scoring 92 runs in the powerplay, the highest powerplay total in a T20 World Cup match.
Abhishek Sharma also produced one of the standout performances of the tournament, bringing up the fastest half-century of the World Cup in just 18 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes.
The pair also became the first opening duo to register a 50-run partnership in a T20 World Cup final.
Although Rachin Ravindra eventually dismissed Sharma for 52 off 21 balls, the 98-run opening stand had already laid the foundation for a huge total.
Middle Overs And Late Drama
Even after the breakthrough, India continued their aggressive approach.
Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan added 93 runs in just 41 balls for the second wicket, pushing India to 191/1 in 14 overs.
Samson continued his impressive run in the tournament, scoring yet another half-century — his third consecutive fifty, becoming only the third player to achieve this feat across the semi-final and final of a T20 World Cup.
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New Zealand’s pace attack, including Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry, struggled to contain the scoring, with Ferguson conceding 48 runs in two overs.
However, James Neesham briefly pulled things back by removing Samson, Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the 16th over, reducing India from 203/2 to 204/4.
Later, veteran pacer Matt Henry dismissed Hardik Pandya for 18 in his final over.
Despite the late wickets, India finished with a huge total of 255/5, setting a daunting target for New Zealand in the title clash.
