"This was supposed to be the site of India's coronation as 50-over world champions in November 2023. But on an awkward surface, later rated average by the International Cricket Council, their batters struggled and Australia beat them comfortably. Just 28 months later India return to play another World Cup final, in a different format, and seeking a very different outcome."
"The circle has come to the same stadium that we left in 2023, said Suryakumar Yadav. Of course there are nerves. There will be butterflies in the stomach. But if there's no pressure there's no fun. So I'm very excited, and I'm sure the whole of India is excited."
"There's a lot of pressure on them to win this World Cup at home, said Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain. I mean, it would be pretty cool to win a home World Cup but that comes with a lot of added pressure. So we'll go out there and try to put some more pressure on them, and see what happens."
India returns to the Narendra Modi Stadium for a T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, carrying the weight of their 2023 ODI World Cup final loss at the same ground. The 130,000-capacity stadium will be filled predominantly with Indian supporters. Only two players from the 2023 squad—Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah—remain in India's likely XI. Suryakumar emphasizes keeping things simple and avoiding overcomplication, while New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledges the immense pressure on India to win a home World Cup and plans to intensify that pressure. The match represents both redemption and a chance to overcome past disappointment.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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