New Zealand Finish as Runners-Up Again as India Dominate From Ball One

For New Zealand cricket, the pursuit of a first World Cup title continues to be an exercise in frustration. Sunday’s T20 World Cup final delivered yet another gut-punch to the Black Caps, who were overpowered by an India side that played with the confidence of champions from the very first delivery.
India’s batting order functioned like a well-oiled machine in the final. Their openers began conservatively, then shifted gears without warning, battering the New Zealand bowling attack to all corners of the ground. A powerplay score of 92 without loss set the tone and left the opposition chasing shadows for the remainder of the innings.
Sharma, Samson, and Kishan all contributed half-centuries in a top-order blitz that seemed to promise even greater things. At 191 for one after 14 overs, a total of 300 seemed within reach. The middle overs brought a cluster of wickets, including a freakish Jimmy Neesham over — one run, three wickets — but India still finished with a formidable 255.
Chasing 256, New Zealand’s batting was meek by comparison. Allen, the hero of the semi-finals, made just nine. The rest of the order offered little resistance beyond Seifert’s half-century. Bumrah was devastating with the ball, his slow yorkers impossible to read, while India’s fielding — despite a couple of drops — was sharp throughout.
India’s 96-run victory secured their place in cricket history as the first men’s team to defend the T20 World Cup title and the first to win it on home soil. New Zealand, meanwhile, return home empty-handed once again, their World Cup final record now reading four attempts, zero wins.