T20 WC: Dhoni arrives in Ahmedabad ahead of IND-NZ summit clash

Ahmedabad, March 8 : Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni arrived here in the city on Sunday morning hours before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 final to be played between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Dhoni holds a special place in India’s T20 World Cup history, having led the team to their first title in the inaugural edition in 2007 after defeating Pakistan in the final. In 2024, Rohit joined the list of World Cup-winning captains when India defeated South Africa in the final.

The World Cup-winning captain was also present during India's semi-final victory over England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. His presence quickly caught the attention of fans and cameras. A warm hug between Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, who came as the tournament’s brand ambassador, became viral on social media.

Now the focus is on Suryakumar Yadav, who can become the first captain to win the T20 World Cup trophy at home and join the exclusive club.

India have never beaten New Zealand in T20 World Cups, and the recent history of ICC events in Ahmedabad hasn’t been kind to the Men in Blue.

Notably, India are chasing a few firsts in the summit clash as they are aiming to become the first host team to win the T20 World Cup, the first team to defend the title, and the first to win three T20 World Cup titles.

This is the third ICC finals in three different formats over the last six years between India and New Zealand - 2021 World Test Championship, 2025 Champions Trophy (ODI) and 2026 T20 World Cup. New Zealand have a 2-1 record over India in the lCC tournament finals; they won the Champions Trophy 2000 and World Test Championships Final 2021 before losing the Champions Trophy last year.

India have made it to the final for the fourth time in T20 World Cups, the most for any team. Six of the previous nine T20 WC finals have been won by the chasing side; of the other three, two were by India: 2007 and 2024.