The T20 World Cup victory by India in Ahmedabad was so good that even Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been absent from social media for about two years, decided to come back and use Instagram again after not having posted there since 2024 when he congratulated the Indian team on being crowned World Champions! He did so after India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to win their 3rd T20I championship title.

Watching from the stands as Suryakumar Yadav’s men dismantled the Kiwis, Dhoni couldn’t resist a playful dig at head coach Gautam Gambhir. “Coach Sahab, a smile looks great on you,” Dhoni quipped, referencing Gambhir’s famously stoic and intense demeanour. “Intensity with a smile is a killer combo… very well done.” He was equally effusive about the Player of the Match, adding that it was perhaps “better if I don’t write anything at all” about Jasprit Bumrah, simply labelling him a “champion bowler.”

The final itself was a masterclass in modern T20 cricket. After being put in to bat, India’s top order went on a sustained rampage. Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Abhishek Sharma combined to propel the total to a daunting 255/5— a record for a World Cup final. In response, the New Zealand chase never truly got off the ground, derailed almost entirely by Bumrah’s metronomic brilliance. He finished with staggering figures of 4 for 15, leaving the visitors well short of the target.

The victory brings India’s T20 World Cup tally to three, adding to the inaugural 2007 trophy won under Dhoni and the 2024 title secured by Rohit Sharma. Rohit was also in attendance at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, joining Dhoni to witness the passing of the torch to a new generation of world-beaters. As the fireworks faded over Ahmedabad, the image of a smiling Gambhir alongside a jubilant squad suggested that, for one night at least, the legendary intensity had finally given way to pure celebration.

Also read: India claim third T20 WC title