India captain Suryakumar Yadav delivered a witty response to New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner after the latter spoke about silencing the massive crowd expected at the Narendra Modi Stadium during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final.
Speaking to reporters in Ahmedabad ahead of the much-anticipated clash, Suryakumar brushed off Santner’s remarks with humor, suggesting that the line about “silencing the crowd” had already become too common.
“Sab he same line chipka rahe hai. Kuch to naya bolo,” Surya said with a smile.
(Everyone is saying the same thing now. Come up with something new.)
Santner’s ‘Silence the Crowd’ Remark
Earlier, Santner had stated that New Zealand would aim to quiet the huge Indian crowd during the final. His comments quickly reminded fans of a similar statement made by Pat Cummins before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Final, also played at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“That’s the goal, to silence the crowd,” Santner said. “There are a lot of variables in T20 cricket, and it can be fickle at times, as we’ve seen throughout the World Cup. A lot of teams are on the same page, and it often comes down to a few key moments that decide the outcome.”
Santner acknowledged the challenge of facing India in front of a packed stadium but insisted that New Zealand are ready for the occasion.
“We can upset another big team. There’s obviously a lot of pressure on India to win this World Cup at home,” he added.
‘We Don’t Mind Being the Bad Guys’
The New Zealand captain also admitted that his team is comfortable playing the role of the underdog.
“I wouldn’t mind winning a trophy,” Santner said. “If you look at this group and the teams from the past, we’ve always tried not to get overawed by the situation or the opposition. We just go out there and do our thing.”
“As a unit, it’s been the same approach this time as well. Everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites, but we don’t mind being the bad guys.”
A Tough Record for India to Overcome
History also adds an intriguing subplot to the final. India have never defeated New Zealand in the T20 World Cup, losing all their previous encounters in the tournament.
While the Men in Blue aim to defend their world title on home soil, the Black Caps are chasing their first-ever T20 World Cup trophy.
With more than 100,000 fans expected to fill the Narendra Modi Stadium, the final promises to be a high-pressure contest where both teams will look to create history on the biggest stage.
