Red-hot Samson powers India to 255-5 against NZ in T20 World Cup final

AHMEDABAD, INDIA, March 8 : New Zealand will need to score 256 in the final to beat defending champions India and win their maiden Twenty20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Put in to bat, India capitalised on a 98-run opening stand between Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) to rack up 255-5.

Samson hit eight sixes and five fours in his 46-ball blitz, maintaining his red-hot form in the business end of the tournament.

Number three Ishan Kishan smashed 54 but James Neesham bowled a three-wicket over to apply the brakes on India’s scoring rate towards the end.