India are on the verge of winning their first of three T20 World Cup finals against New Zealand, with the hopes of 1.4 billion fans behind them.
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Published March 7, 2026
The best way to deal with pressure is to embrace it, India captain Suryakumar Yadav has reminded his teammates ahead of Sunday’s Twenty20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
India will be aiming to become the first team to retain the T20 World Cup title, winning it on home soil and winning the trophy for a record third time.
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To achieve all this, they will have to deal with not only a strong New Zealand eleven, but also the weight of expectations from a cricket-mad nation of 1.4 billion people.
Leading the team in their home World Cup final is a “special feeling” and Suryakumar said he was looking forward to the challenge.
“There are nerves in my stomach and I’m confused, but as I always say, without pressure, there’s no fun,” Suryakumar told reporters on Saturday.
“I’m very excited. I’m sure the players, the support staff and all of India are excited (for the match).”
More than 100,000 people, mainly home fans, are expected to be in attendance at the world’s largest cricket stadium, which famously saw Australia defeat India in the 50-over World Cup final three years ago.
Expectations are once again high as India also looks to become the first host country to win the T20 World Cup.
Suryakumar said they try not to talk about cricket and the presence of “characters” like Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel keeps the atmosphere light in the dressing room.
“It’s very important to have a character like this by your side because when things get tense, you need someone to tell jokes on the bus or in the changing room and keep the dressing room calm,” Suryakumar said.
“We don’t talk about intense cricket situations because players like Axar, Arshdeep and (Jasprit) Bumrah know what to do.
“We want to be very relaxed and focus on the moment without thinking about what will happen in the final.”
As captain, Suryakumar said he has resisted the temptation to be the “big brother” in the changing room and encouraged individuality.
“I feel a good team culture is very important. A happy team atmosphere is key,” he added.
“Give them freedom and listen to what they are thinking and feeling.
“I think it’s really important to understand what everyone on the team wants.”
