India made history by securing their third ICC title in succession after defeating New Zealand in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. All-rounder Hardik Pandya, widely regarded as one of India’s key clutch performers, played an important role during the campaign, particularly in the semi-final against England, although his impact in the final itself was more limited.
Following the victory, Pandya spoke openly during a television interview, praising his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma and reflecting on his future ambitions in cricket, while also acknowledging the teammates and support staff who stood by him throughout the tournament.
Hardik Pandya’s T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign
Pandya enjoyed a solid tournament even though he was not always at the center of attention. Across nine matches, he scored 217 runs at an average of 27.13 with a strike rate of 160.74.
With the ball, the all-rounder claimed nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.82. His bowling included important two-wicket spells against Namibia, Pakistan, and England in the second semi-final.
In the final, Pandya contributed 18 runs from 13 balls to help India reach 255 and also picked up one wicket.
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Although his performance in the title match was not the defining factor, his contributions across the tournament in both batting and bowling were significant. After the victory, Pandya also spoke about his personal life and future goals.
Pandya Credits Girlfriend Mahieka Sharma
Speaking after the match, Hardik Pandya expressed confidence that India would win the tournament and revealed a conversation he had with Mahieka Sharma before the final.
“I had been saying the same thing from the beginning, that we are going to win. I already knew that we were champions and that we would come back with this trophy. I even told Mahieka the same thing, “Don’t worry, we’ve got this.” Because everyone had different expectations, but I was confident about it,” Pandya said.
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He also spoke about his long-term ambitions in the sport.
“I want to play for the team for another ten years and win ten more titles. And I honestly want to say one thing, ever since Mahieka came into my life, everything has been going right. There has been win after win,” Pandya said.
India Dominate New Zealand In The Final
India produced a commanding performance in the final despite Pandya’s relatively quiet outing.
Sanju Samson led the batting with an explosive 89 from 46 balls, while Abhishek Sharma added a rapid 52 from 21 deliveries at the top of the order. Although Sharma was dismissed by Rachin Ravindra, Ishan Kishan continued the momentum with a quick 54 off 25 balls.
A late surge from Shivam Dube, who scored 26 runs from just eight balls, pushed India past the 250 mark as they set New Zealand a target of 256.
In response, New Zealand were bowled out for 150. Jasprit Bumrah claimed four wickets and Axar Patel took three to keep the chase under control.
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Mitchell Santner scored 43 from 35 balls and Tim Seifert made 52 from 26 deliveries, but their efforts were not enough to challenge India’s total.
The final wicket came when Abhishek Sharma dismissed Jacob Duffy, sealing the victory for India and confirming their successful title defence at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
