'Home team always tough to beat': Pat Cummins fires warning to New Zealand before T20 World Cup final

Australian captain Pat Cummins, who handed India one of their biggest upsets in an ICC tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium, has sent out a stern warning to New Zealand on the dominance of a team on their home soil.

India have been the best-performing side in white-ball ICC tournaments in the past three years. They have made it to the finals of the ICC tournaments in CWC 2023, the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and now the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Out of all these tournaments, India lost only the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 against the Aussies. Pat Cummins was the captain of the same side that defeated the Indians in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.

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Pat Cummins sends stern warning to New Zealand ahead of T20 WC Final clash

New Zealand will be playing against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the same venue that hosted the ICC World Cup final back in 2023. Australia skipper Pat Cummins, who has had prior experience leading a team in a World Cup final against a host nation, has issued a stern warning to New Zealand.

Pat Cummins has reflected that it is always difficult for a visiting nation to defeat the host nation on its own land. However, in the history of ICC T20 World Cups, no team has ever won it on their home soil.

Pat Cummins said to Sky Sports, “The home team is always tough to beat, but New Zealand have been great. I’ll definitely be watching the T20 World Cup Final; it’ll be a great contest."

Pat Cummins said, “the home team is always tough to beat, but New Zealand have been great. I’ll definitely be watching the T20 World Cup Final, it’ll be a great contest”. (Sky Sports). pic.twitter.com/kROUCyXqrW

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 8, 2026

India's horrible record against New Zealand in the T20 World Cups

India have had a horrible record playing against New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cups. They have met these teams on three prior occasions, which include only group stage games in the ICC T20 World Cup.

India also did not have the upper hand, going by stats, when they clashed against the same opposition during the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2025. But India still stole the show one-sidedly and emerged victorious on that occasion, claiming their third overall Champions Trophy title.

However, New Zealand have their powerful strikers and would carry the advantage of India's losing streak against them in T20 World Cups as they clash for the first time in a T20 World Cup final. New Zealand were this close back in 2021, when they lost to Australia.

Mitchell Santner vs Suryakumar Yadav: Who has a better record in T20Is?

Speaking of the shortest format of international cricket, Mitchell Santner might not have been as successful a captain as India's Suryakumar Yadav, yet he is considered one of the greatest ever captains in this format of the game.

Having roughly led New Zealand in 47 matches as a captain in T20Is, Santner has won 26 matches and has lost 16, while 5 ended without a result. Under his captaincy, New Zealand have made it to the Champions Trophy as well as the T20 World Cup final in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

Suryakumar Yadav is truly an inspiring player in the shortest format of the game. The veteran has led India in 44 matches and has a win record of over 80.95 percent, making him one of the most successful captains T20I cricket has ever witnessed. Suryakumar himself has 17 POTM awards, the most for any Indian cricketer.

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