Ahmedabad, March 8 – The President of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev, along with PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl, were present at the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Kapil Dev led India to victory in the 1983 ODI World Cup, sparking the cricket revolution in India that has made the sport a central part of the country's culture.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present, along with his wife, son Jay Shah (who is also the chairman of the International Cricket Council), daughter-in-law, and grandson.
Legendary cricketers MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma jointly presented the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy.
The sight of the two bringing out the gleaming trophy generated a thunderous cheer from the packed crowd. Dhoni, who captained India to victory in the inaugural 2007 edition, joined Rohit, who led the team to winning the trophy in 2024.
In addition to Dhoni and Rohit, ICC chairman Jay Shah and JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar also presented the trophy, which was placed on a pedestal before both India and New Zealand performed their national anthems.
Legendary playback singer Kavitha Krishnamurthy delivered a powerful rendition of the Indian national anthem. Regarding the match, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to bowl against defending champions India.
The Blackcaps also made one change, bringing in pacer Jacob Duffy in place of off-spin bowler Cole McConchie. India named an unchanged side from their seven-run semi-final victory over England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The pre-final closing ceremony featured global pop star Ricky Martin, who performed for the capacity crowd before the final. Martin opened with his hit "Livin' la Vida Loca" and closed with "María" and "La Copa de la Vida," drawing a strong response from the crowd.
Indian artists Sukhbir Singh and Falguni Pathak also performed during the closing ceremony. Sukhbir performed his popular Punjabi tracks, including "Oh Ho Ho Ho”, while Falguni, known as the "Dandiya Queen," performed a medley of Gujarati folk music and Bollywood songs.
The final marks the end of a 20-team tournament that saw India progress through the knockout rounds after suffering a 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad. New Zealand, who have never previously won the Men's T20 World Cup, are appearing in their second final.
