24 March 2026
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
Cricket ball
India’s triumph at the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted across India and Sri Lanka, was a masterclass in tournament cricket. The defending champions arrived as favourites and, despite one significant wobble, delivered on that billing to lift the trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
For anyone interested in betting on cricket ahead of future ICC events, studying how India went about their business here is essential reading. Here is the full story of how they did it.
Group stage: Record-breaking from the start
India were placed in Group A and wasted no time making their presence felt. They opened against the United States, posting 161/9 and dismissing their opponents for 132, with Suryakumar Yadav picking up the player of the match award and surpassing Virat Kohli’s record for the most such awards by an Indian in T20Is in the process. It was India’s ninth consecutive win in the T20 World Cup, extending a record that had been building for several editions.
A demolition of Namibia followed, India racking up 209/9 before skittling their opponents for just 116. The winning margin of 93 runs was India’s largest ever in a T20 World Cup, and the victory extended their record winning streak in the format to 10 consecutive matches.
The group stage showpiece came against Pakistan. India again posted a big total, 175/7, before dismissing Pakistan for 114. It was India’s biggest win by runs against Pakistan in T20Is and their highest total against the same opponents in World Cup history.
The result, which extended their winning streak to 11, also made it 16 consecutive wins in ICC limited-overs tournaments, the longest such streak by any team in the history of the format. India qualified for the Super 8 with maximum points.
Super 8: One defeat, no panic
The Super 8 is where India’s tournament took its only unexpected turn. Placed in Group 1 alongside South Africa, the West Indies and Zimbabwe, they lost their opening match to South Africa by a significant margin, a defeat that ended their record run of 12 consecutive T20 World Cup wins. It was India’s first loss in an ICC limited-overs competition since the 2023 Cricket World Cup final and their largest ever losing margin by runs in the T20 World Cup.
To their credit, India responded in emphatic fashion. They put up 256/4 against Zimbabwe, their highest ever total in T20 World Cup history and the second highest by any team in the tournament’s history. The result sent them through to the semi-finals alongside South Africa, with Zimbabwe eliminated.
Semi-final: England pushed them close
India’s semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium was the tightest match of their campaign. England chased hard and came within seven runs of knocking out the defending champions, but India held on to reach the final. It was a reminder that, even at their best, this India side can be vulnerable, and those looking at betting tips for future England vs India fixtures will know the gap between the two sides is not as wide as the group stage results suggested.
The final: Champions again
India met South Africa in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a rematch of the 2024 final, which India had also won. South Africa had been the form side of the Super 8, having beaten India in the group stage, which made the final a compelling contest. India prevailed to claim back-to-back T20 World Cup titles, cementing their status as the dominant force in the shortest format of the game.
What made India so good
Throughout the tournament, Suryakumar Yadav was the standout performer with the bat, finishing as one of the tournament’s most decorated players. The bowling attack was consistently threatening, combining pace and spin to suffocate opposition batting line-ups in the subcontinent conditions. And crucially, when South Africa beat them in the Super 8, India showed the mental resilience to regroup and deliver when it mattered most.
Defending champions, tournament record-breakers, and winners again. India’s grip on T20 cricket has never looked tighter.