'Next goal is Olympic gold': Suryakumar Yadav after India's T20WC triumph

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 9 (ANI): India captain Suryakumar Yadav has described the team's run to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 title as a "wonderful journey," highlighting the collective effort that helped the side achieve success in front of the home crowd in Ahmedabad.
Speaking at the post-final press conference, Suryakumar said the campaign had its challenges in the early stages, but the team gradually found its rhythm and delivered a strong performance throughout the tournament.
After leading India to their third T20 title, Suryakumar Yadav has set his sights on winning the Olympic gold medal in 2028.
"Obviously, it has been a wonderful journey in the last one month, though it didn't start the way we wanted it to start, but then it's part of the sport. Throughout the journey till today. It has been very special and collectively as a team what we've achieved, I think it's right in front of you, so very happy with that and as you rightly said, definitely the next goal is the Olympics, and also the T20 World Cup that year. Don't forget," Suryakumar said.
The Indian skipper emphasised that the team's approach underwent a major transformation after the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, when the side adopted a more aggressive and modern style of cricket that has continued to deliver results in major tournaments.
"Everything was changed post 2024. We played a different brand of cricket in 2024, and from there, we understood how this team needs to work forward, play forward. And it's been a wonderful journey since then," he said.
Suryakumar pointed out that the team's evolution began with success in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and continued with their dominant performance in the T20 World Cup at home.
"We won an ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, played a completely different brand of cricket, and now, in 2026, we wanted to do something special in front of a home crowd right here. So we want to continue doing that 27 - 28 - 29 and never stop," he added.
Coming to the match, NZ put India to bat first after winning the toss, Samson (89 in 46 balls, with five fours and eight sixes), Abhishek Sharma (52 in 21 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and Ishan Kishan (54 in 25 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) and Shivam Dube (26* in 8 balls, with three fours and two sixes) took India to 255/5.
Later on, despite a fifty from Tim Seifert (52 in 26 balls, with two fours and five sixes), the Kiwis had to bow down to the sheer greatness of Axar (3/27) and Bumrah (4/15) as Men in Blue secure their third T20WC title in style, becoming the first team to defend the title, and also the first host nation to win the trophy. (ANI)