Suryakumar's T20 champs set sight on Olympic gold

India lifted the prestigious trophy after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, successfully defending the title and becoming the first team in the history of the tournament to retain the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

The captain of India's T20 World Cup winning team Suryakumar Yadav on Tuesday said his next target is to win the Olympics gold for the country.

"We have the momentum. Our target now is to get the 2028 Olympics gold medal," Yadav told reporters after returning to his house in Mumbai's Deonar area following the World Cup triumph.

"The same year (2028), there will be the T20 World Cup. Winning that also will complete our hat trick," Yadav said.

He said it was a "special feeling" to be in the "elite company" of skippers who have won the Cup for India.

Special to be in elite company

"I will try to live up to the expectations and my efforts will be to win more trophies for India," Yadav said.

"When we won the Cup in 2024, it was a special feeling that we have won the final played on our soil," he said.

India lifted the prestigious trophy after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, successfully defending the title and becoming the first team in the history of the tournament to retain the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

With this victory, India also became the first team to win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup three times, further cementing its place among the most successful teams in the history of the format.

Rohit was the captain when India ended an ICC trophy drought with the win in Barbados back in June 2024. Dhoni led India to victories in 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup.

Kapil Dev's team won the 1983 ODI World Cup, the first major title for the country.

Surya had met MS Dhoni before the tournament

Speaking to reporters outside his residence, Suryakumar revealed that he had spoken to Dhoni ahead of the ICC event.

"I had met him (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) before the tournament and he told me how to approach an ICC tournament. He told me that we have a good team, we just have to be courageous and we will definitely win. His reaction after the win was amazing," said the skipper.

We had a good time after the WC win

The country is celebrating the win and the team too duly celebrated through the night post the final on Sunday.

"I wish I could share everything what we have done on that night after being world champions but then we had a good time. We were awake till 8 AM in the morning," Suryakumar said.

He is now looking forward to the IPL beginning March 28.

"Now the plan is to rest, then prepare for the IPL. In the next cycle we will start preparing for the Olympics where our aim is to win gold," he said referring to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

The BCCI on Tuesday announced a cash reward of Rs 131 crore for the entire Indian squad following its third T20 World Cup victory. The amount covers 15 players, coaching staff, other support staff.