Tokyo Paralympics: Paddler Bhavina defeats defending champ Rankovic, storms into semis

Fiery half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan, a three-wicket haul by Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah's masterclass spell of 4/15 were the highlights as Team India successfully defended a massive 256 runs, beating New Zealand by 96 runs to become the first-ever team to defend the title and also lift it at home.

Grinding out in his 20s in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) and domestic cricket for Mumbai, Suryakumar struggled to make it to Team India, watching many of his peers get a national cap. Despite a purple patch in the IPL from 2018-2020, which saw him score 400-500 runs consistently, India's very own 'Mr 360' struggled to catch selectors' attention. But when he finally did at the age of 30, his next five years saw him live out a decade worthy of career highs and lows, making him one of the most intriguing figures of Indian cricket.

India all-rounder Axar Patel described India's victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 as an emotional and unforgettable moment, revealing that the triumph became even more meaningful as his son watched him play from the stands for the first time.

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan praised India's T20 World Cup win against New Zealand, calling them the best white-ball team.

Indian all-rounder Axar Patel's father, Rajesh Patel, expressed joy over Team India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand on Sunday. Rajesh Patel highlighted Axar's three wickets and Jasprit Bumrah's four wickets, saying the team's collective effort made him especially proud, and shared that he congratulated Axar after the match.