MS Dhoni to witness India vs New Zealand final:Former captain spotted in Ahmedabad with heavy security ahead of marquee clash

Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni arrived in Ahmedabad on Sunday morning as the Indian team prepares to face New Zealand national cricket team in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The title clash will be played at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest cricket stadium in the world. The 44-year-old legend had also attended India’s semifinal match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where the Men in Blue defeated England men’s cricket team in a thrilling contest. Dhoni was accompanied by his wife Sakshi, and several celebrities including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Anil Kapoor were also present in the stands to witness the exciting semifinal. Several members of the cricket fraternity also watched the match live. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma—who led India to the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy titles—were among those cheering for the team. Now, with the final approaching, fans are expecting another memorable moment in Indian cricket history. Dhoni’s legacy and India’s title defence India lifted their first T20 World Cup trophy under Dhoni’s leadership in 2007, when they defeated Pakistan national cricket team in the final to win the inaugural tournament. That historic victory laid the foundation for India’s strong legacy in T20 cricket. Now the responsibility lies with the team led by Suryakumar Yadav. India are aiming to defend their title and become the first team to win the T20 World Cup in front of their home crowd. On the other hand, New Zealand will be chasing their first-ever T20 World Cup trophy after finishing runners-up in the 2021 edition. India are also chasing several historic milestones in this final. A win would make them the first team to successfully defend a T20 World Cup title, the first host nation to win the tournament, and the first side to lift three T20 World Cup trophies. Team India’s road to the final in T20 WC 2026 Both teams reached the final through different paths. New Zealand had mixed results earlier in the tournament, losing to the South Africa national cricket team in the group stage and to England in the Super Eights. However, they produced a stunning performance in the semifinal against South Africa. After restricting the Proteas to 169/8, New Zealand chased down the target in just 12.5 overs with a nine-wicket victory. The highlight of the match was a sensational 33-ball century by Finn Allen, the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history. India, meanwhile, had a near-perfect campaign. They dominated the group stage and suffered their only loss to South Africa in the opening Super Eight match. In the semifinal against England, India posted a massive 253/7 before restricting England to just seven runs short in a thrilling contest. IND vs NZ: Head-to-head and key battle Historically, New Zealand have had the upper hand against India in T20 World Cups. The Black Caps defeated India in the 2007, 2016 and 2021 editions of the tournament. However, recent form favors India, who won their latest T20I series against New Zealand in India by a convincing 4-1 margin. For New Zealand, the challenge will be to contain India’s powerful batting lineup. At the same time, they will need to find answers to the deadly bowling of Jasprit Bumrah, whose accuracy and consistency make him one of the biggest threats in the final.