Santner Says Goal Is to Silence Indian Crowd in T20 World Cup Final

AHMEDABAD: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has said his team hopes to quiet the massive home crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium when they face hosts India in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday.

The world’s largest cricket stadium, which can host more than 100,000 spectators, previously staged the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia. On that occasion, the huge crowd supporting the home side was left stunned as Australia, led by Pat Cummins, secured a six-wicket victory to claim their sixth title.

Santner, who is captaining New Zealand in an ICC tournament for the second time after the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, where his side finished runners-up to India, said his team would look to draw inspiration from that Australian triumph and attempt to produce a memorable win for the Blackcaps.

Speaking to reporters during a pre-match press conference at the venue on Saturday, Santner said silencing the crowd would be a major objective for his side.

New Zealand secured their place in the final with an impressive nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the semi-final. The Proteas had been unbeaten throughout the tournament before suffering the defeat.

The Blackcaps’ path to the final, however, has not been entirely smooth. They lost to South Africa earlier in the group stage and also suffered a defeat against England in the Super Eights round.

Santner noted that the unpredictable nature of the shortest format of the game means any team can turn the tables on a given day. He said the semi-final victory had boosted the confidence of his players and expressed hope that they could deliver another strong performance against one of the tournament’s leading sides.

“T20 cricket can be unpredictable. We saw South Africa playing excellent cricket throughout the competition before running into trouble against us,” Santner said.

He added that if New Zealand approached the final with the same mindset and execution, they could challenge another strong opponent.

New Zealand have been among the most consistent teams in ICC events over the past decade, reaching five finals in the last 11 years. However, they have been unable to convert those appearances into titles.

Their only previous appearance in a men's T20 World Cup final came in 2021, when they were defeated by Australia by eight wickets.

The upcoming clash against India therefore offers the Blackcaps another opportunity to end their long wait for a major global title. Santner admitted that his team would be underdogs but said they were eager to seize the moment. He said winning a major trophy would be special for the team, even if it meant disappointing a large number of home supporters.

“It will definitely be a tough challenge and we know we are probably not the favourites,” Santner said. “But it would be great to lift a trophy for once, even if it means breaking a few hearts.”

Meanwhile, a victory for India in the final could mark several significant milestones in the history of the tournament.