In a performance that was close to flawless from beginning to end, India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s golden duck in the 15th over was the one moment that raised an eyebrow. Attempting an extravagant pull over his shoulder, he was brilliantly caught by Ravindra at deep backward square leg, and walked off to a forgiving ovation from a crowd that knew the match was already won. India eventually posted 255 and won by 96 runs.
The innings that preceded Suryakumar’s brief cameo had been spectacular. India reached 92 for no loss in six overs, equalling the World Cup record for the highest powerplay total. Sharma, who scored his fifty off just 18 balls, provided the early fireworks. Samson’s 89 off 46 gave the innings its backbone. Kishan’s 54 off 25 was a whirlwind cameo.
The 15th over, bowled by Neesham, produced the strangest ten minutes of the evening. Three wickets for one run — Samson, Kishan, and Suryakumar — turned what had been an invincible-looking innings into a slightly more modest one. But 255 was still posted, aided materially by Dube’s blistering final over, and the total was more than enough.
New Zealand chased and fell well short. Allen made nine before departing. The middle order provided little. Bumrah was devastating, three wickets for a Man of the Match display that reinforced his reputation as the finest T20 bowler of his generation. Seifert contributed a battling fifty but New Zealand were bowled out for 159.
India retained the T20 World Cup on home soil, and Suryakumar’s golden duck will be little more than a comedic footnote in a night of historical achievement. Champions can afford the occasional laugh at their own expense.