Abhishek Sharma's pyrotechnics followed a now familiar script with India out-batting New Zealand by 48 runs in the opening T20 International in Nagpur on Wednesday.
A review of the key contributions from each player in India's victorious T20 World Cup campaign, highlighting individual brilliance and teamwork.
Hardik Pandya continued to be targetted by irate Mumbai Indians fans.
'I don't see Hardik getting a new ball. He is a certainty in the side as playing four fast bowlers would mean a long tail. He is your ideal No 7 batsman but you can use him for 4-6 overs depending on the situation'
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya praised the team's scouting team for discovering left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, who starred in the team's eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Kumar took four wickets on debut, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat in the IPL, and played a crucial role in restricting KKR to 116 runs.
India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20, Guwahati: Abhishek blitz hands India series win
This is a franchise built on resilience and has often stumbled but risen with a vengeance, fiercer and hungrier. The question is: when will that happen, and why did it not start from their home ground?
Santner, Bumrah make my job very easy: Pandya
Though he hasn't made a big impact with the bat yet, Rinku Singh has good experience at Eden Gardens. He has played 25 IPL matches here, scored 540 runs in 23 innings, and has a strike rate of 157.4. Will the team management back him as a finisher in this must win game?
"Gill should cement his place at the top order in T20": Irfan Pathan
The India all-rounder is content to spend time with son Agastya and nephew Kavir.
Chennai Super Kings suffered a damaging defeat to Lucknow Super Giants as Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran and Akash Singh exposed tactical flaws and pushed CSK to the brink of IPL 2026 playoff elimination.
The little fellow was Hardik's three-year-old son Agastya, who sported his daddy's India blue floppy hat.
The spotlight was firmly on the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai as captains from all ten IPL franchises gathered for the official pre-season meet ahead of IPL 2025 on Thursday.
Sanju Samson scored a clinical 97 off 50 balls to guide India to a five-wicket win over West Indies in Kolkata and book a place in the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final.
Shivam Dube flickered brightly with a fifty of exceptional quality but it was insufficient to prevent India's 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20 International.
B Sai Sudharsan's magnificent century propelled Gujarat Titans to a competitive total against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match. His innings defied T20 conventions, proving runs can be made without aggressive hitting.
It was a performance wrapped in authority and flair, one that re-instated the belief that they can remain T20 World Cup champions.
'India will have to use him carefully. If they want him to bowl three overs early, then Arshdeep Singh has to partner Bumrah in the death overs.'
Hardik Pandya made a memorable comeback to the Indian team, smashing a blistering half-century to power India to a thumping 101-run win over South Africa in the first T20 International.
Hardik Pandya is now the cynosure of all eyes after playing a crucial part in India's T20 World Cup and the recent ICC Champions Trophy wins.
Suryakumar Yadav becomes fourth player to play 100 T20Is for India, achieves feat during 1st T20I against New Zealand
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Mumbai Indians have an edge over Chennai Super Kings in the debate over the greatest IPL franchise.
While the first India vs New Zealand ODI will be played at Vadodara, the second match will get underway at Rajkot. The teams will face off for the final ODI of the series at Indore.
India's young fast-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy should be persisted with and the cricket fraternity must not rush to pass judgement, former players Aakash Chopra, Robin Uthappa, and Manoj Tiwary said on Thursday.
Rohit Sharma smashes fastest IPL fifty and leads Mumbai Indians to record 221 chase against KKR, ending 13-year opening match jinx at Wankhede.
In a remarkable coincidence, both Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya scored exactly 197 runs each in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 last season for Bihar and Delhi respectively.
Jasprit Bumrah led India to victory in the 2026 T20 World Cup final, defeating New Zealand with a stellar performance. The win was made even more special as Bumrah celebrated with his family, including his son Angad, on the field.
Ehsan Malinga shines amid a record SRH chase against MI, claiming the Purple Cap with a disciplined spell and continuing his impressive rise in IPL 2026.
Shivam Dube's consistent and crucial contributions often went unnoticed during India's victorious T20 World Cup campaign, despite his significant impact on the team's success.
'The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 6 Lac or 25 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.'
Ravichandran Ashwin stressed that Washington Sundar must be treated as a frontline bowling all-rounder and given a full quota of overs to build confidence with the bat as well.
Rovman Powell becomes the first West Indies batter to hit 150 T20I sixes during a must-win T20 World Cup clash against India, surpassing Nicholas Pooran as Windies post 195/4 in Kolkata.
India edged England by seven runs to reach the T20 World Cup final for the second successive time after Jacob Bethell's brilliant century went in vain.
Pakistan, after a defeat against India, face Namibia in a must-win match to qualify for the Super 8s. Their fragile batting and Shaheen Afridi's form are key concerns, while Namibia aims to play spoiler.
His ability to bat according to the demands of the situation makes him special among specialist batters.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya says he "won back" his fans following his match-winning contributions during the ICC T20 World Cup title triumph in the Caribbean last year.
Aakash Chopra has questioned the India team management's handling of allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
The former India opener asked if the selectors and team management are on the same page about how, or even when, Nitish should be used.
Devanshi Patel turned her passion for storytelling and celebrations into Shreem Events, one of India's sought-after wedding planning companies.
Samson, Bumrah help India tide over England challenge to reach second successive T20 WC final
