“Even if I have to break hearts…” New Zealand captain warns Team India

Ahmedabad: India and New Zealand will clash in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday, March 8th. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has made a significant statement regarding the title clash. Before the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Santner said that he wouldn’t mind breaking the hearts of some Indian fans to win the trophy.

This statement by Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner is somewhat reminiscent of Australian captain Pat Cummins. Before the 2023 ODI World Cup final, Cummins had said that he wanted to silence the lopsided crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In that match, Australia defeated India to win the World Cup.

In the press conference before the final, Mitchell Santner said that although his team may not be considered the favorite in this match, if the players execute the small things correctly, New Zealand can win the trophy. He said, “We know we may not be the favorites, but that doesn’t matter to us. If we do the little things right and perform well as a team, we can put ourselves in a position to win the trophy. Even if it means breaking some hearts, we don’t mind.”

India will be under more pressure: Santner
Mitchell Santner believes that India will be under more pressure in the final as they will want to win the World Cup on their home ground. He said that in T20 cricket, small moments often decide the outcome of a match, and his team will focus on that. New Zealand looked in great form in the semi-finals, defeating South Africa, who had been unbeaten throughout the tournament, to reach the final. Now, the Kiwis will try to surprise India with that same confidence.

Mitchell Santner also said that India’s batsmen are in excellent form, but the Indian bowlers had to struggle a lot while defending a score of over 250 against England in the semi-finals. In such a situation, he believes that both the teams will enter the final with their respective strengths and the team which plays better for a longer time will be successful in winning the trophy.