New Zealand win toss and elect to bowl first against India in T20 World Cup final

Ahmedabad — New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl first against India in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The highly anticipated match saw New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner making the decision to field after winning the toss. The final brings together two of the tournament's top teams, with both sides fielding strong line-ups for the championship clash.

India's playing XI for the final includes Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.

New Zealand's team features Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (captain), Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Lockie Ferguson.

The match is being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which is known for hosting major cricket events and has a large seating capacity, providing a vibrant atmosphere for the final.

Both teams have shown consistent performances throughout the tournament, leading to their face-off in the final. The decision by New Zealand to bowl first sets the stage for an exciting contest as India look to set a challenging total in the first innings.