In the buildup to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand—previewed in our earlier coverage—captains Suryakumar Yadav and Mitchell Santner addressed the media on March 7 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Yadav discussed team selections like Sanju Samson's return and a positive dressing room atmosphere, while Santner focused on silencing the home crowd and executing in key moments. Both expressed confidence ahead of the March 8 clash.
The pre-match press conference took place on March 7, 2026, at Narendra Modi Stadium. Mitchell Santner spoke first around 1:30 PM IST, followed by Suryakumar Yadav at 5:45 PM IST.
Santner highlighted the pressure on India to win at home: “I guess that’s the goal - to silence the crowd. Throughout this World Cup we’ve seen that many teams are on similar levels, and matches often come down to small moments. If we execute those well, we can upset another big side. Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure on India to win the World Cup at home.” He acknowledged India's momentum with 250-plus scores and praised Jasprit Bumrah as a “game changer.” Santner backed Varun Chakaravarthy despite his form: “He is still a very good bowler. He is just one game away from changing the tide.” New Zealand aims to replicate their nine-wicket semi-final win over South Africa, prioritizing consistency and matchup-based decisions.
Yadav emphasized team atmosphere: “I feel a good and happy team atmosphere is key. If you want to see players happy in the ground, what you do in the dressing room is very important. Give them the freedom in the dressing room is very important.” On Rohit Sharma: “It is the same shoes, just different footsteps. I learned a lot of things from him.” Regarding Sanju Samson's inclusion: “Regarding Sanju's inclusion, we saw that in the bilateral series, the combination of Sanju, Ishan and Abhishek batting in the top worked, and so we roped him in. When he wasn't playing, he was doing everything for the team, that worked for him too. He is reaping benefits of his hard work.” Samson recently scored 97 not out vs West Indies and 89 vs England.
Yadav addressed dew's batting advantage and mental prep: “Handling pressure is all about how calm you are in tight situations.” He called leading India a “special feeling” and noted on scoring: “We will look to bat well, if we get above 250, it will be good! But we don't think or plan that way, it depends on the wicket.” Both captains anticipate a competitive match on the batting-friendly Ahmedabad pitch.
