Irfan Pathan Hardik Pandya. Image Credits: X
India created history by defeating New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. The Indian team delivered a dominant performance with both bat and ball.
Hardik Pandya also played an important role throughout the tournament and was part of the celebrations after the final victory. However, after the match, Pandya and former cricketer Irfan Pathan shared an awkward moment that quickly went viral on social media.
India post a daunting target for New Zealand
India’s victory was powered by brilliant batting from the top order. Sanju Samson led the charge with a blazing knock of 89 runs. At the same time, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan supported him with explosive half-centuries.
Abhishek scored 52 runs while Kishan added 54, as the Indian batters attacked the New Zealand bowlers from the very beginning.
Because of this aggressive approach, India posted a massive total of 255 for five in their 20 overs. This total became the highest score ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.
Indian bowlers dominate the chase
Chasing such a big target, New Zealand immediately felt the pressure. As a result, they lost wickets early while trying to attack the Indian bowlers. Their key batters Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips were dismissed quickly for 9 and 5 runs respectively.
Notably, Indian bowlers took full control of the match from that point. Axar Patel took three wickets for 27 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah delivered an outstanding spell of four wickets for just 15 runs. Although Tim Seifert scored 52 runs off 26 balls, it was not enough to keep New Zealand in the contest.
Also Read: Indian Players Who Might Have Played Their Last T20 World Cup
Eventually, India secured a comfortable win and achieved several milestones. With this win, India also became the first team to win the tournament three times.
Hardik Pandya celebrates T20 World Cup win
After the match ended, the Indian team celebrated by taking a lap around the stadium along with their families. Hardik Pandya was also seen walking with his girlfriend Maheika Sharma during the celebrations.
However, a video that later went viral showed Pandya greeting Irfan Pathan. In the clip, Hardik shook hands with Irfan Pathan and then patted him on the shoulder. Many fans felt the interaction looked slightly awkward, especially because there had been earlier reports of tension between the two.
Watch the video below:
Background of Irfan Pathan and Hardik Pandya's controversy
For the unversed, before the 2024 T20 World Cup, Irfan Pathan had questioned the selectors for continuing to back Hardik Pandya. He said that Indian cricket should reconsider how much priority Pandya receives and added that IPL success should not always be confused with international performance.
Due to such comments, reports suggested there was a disagreement between the two. However, Pathan later denied any personal feud and revealed that he had actually recommended Hardik Pandya to VVS Laxman for a place in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad back in 2012.
Hardik Pandya’s strong tournament performance
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya had an impressive tournament overall. With the bat, he scored 217 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 160.74. In addition, he also contributed with the ball by taking nine wickets with an economy rate of 8.82.
Also Read- Fact Check- Did Ishan Kishan Kiss His Girlfriend Aditi Hundia In Stadium After Final?
.jpg?type=mq "India stars who played their last World Cup")
