Jhooth bol raha hai”: Suryakumar Yadav Responds to Santner’s Comment Ahead of India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Final

New Delhi | 8 March 2026 As the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 approaches, the excitement and mind games between the two teams have already begun. The India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team are preparing for the title clash, and both captains shared their thoughts during the pre-match press conferences. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, enter the final with strong confidence after posting a massive 253/7 against the England national cricket team in the semifinal at Wankhede Stadium. However, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said his team’s plan would be to prevent India from reaching such a big total again. He stated, "And at the end of the day, if it's going to be flat like it was the other night, trying to restrict India to 220 instead of 250 might give us a good chance." When asked about this remark, Suryakumar Yadav responded with a smile and light humour. He said, "Jhooth bol raha hai (he's lying). We will try to bat well. If we score 225 or 250, it will be good. But sometimes the wicket is different, and we have to play differently. We don't predict from the dressing room that we have to score so much. Whatever the pitch demands, we have to play that way," highlighting that the team focuses on adapting to match conditions rather than setting fixed targets. Santner also spoke about the pressure India could face while playing the final at home in front of a large crowd. He said, "That's the goal - to silence the crowd - but there are a lot of challenges in cricket, and they are variable. I think there is a lot of pressure on India to win at home," while adding that his team is excited and ready for the big match. Referring to similar statements made in previous tournaments, Suryakumar jokingly replied, "Sab hi same line chipka rahe hai. Kuch toh naya bolo (Everyone is now saying the same thing. Come up with something new)." “Jhooth bol raha hai”: Suryakumar Yadav Responds to Santner’s Comment Ahead of India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Final As the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 approaches, the excitement and mind games between the two teams have already begun. The India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team are preparing for the title clash, and both captains shared their thoughts during the pre-match press conferences. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, enter the final with strong confidence after posting a massive 253/7 against the England national cricket team in the semifinal at Wankhede Stadium. However, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said his team’s plan would be to prevent India from reaching such a big total again. He stated, "And at the end of the day, if it's going to be flat like it was the other night, trying to restrict India to 220 instead of 250 might give us a good chance." When asked about this remark, Suryakumar Yadav responded with a smile and light humour. He said, "Jhooth bol raha hai (he's lying). We will try to bat well. If we score 225 or 250, it will be good. But sometimes the wicket is different, and we have to play differently. We don't predict from the dressing room that we have to score so much. Whatever the pitch demands, we have to play that way," highlighting that the team focuses on adapting to match conditions rather than setting fixed targets. Santner also spoke about the pressure India could face while playing the final at home in front of a large crowd. He said, "That's the goal - to silence the crowd - but there are a lot of challenges in cricket, and they are variable. I think there is a lot of pressure on India to win at home," while adding that his team is excited and ready for the big match. Referring to similar statements made in previous tournaments, Suryakumar jokingly replied, "Sab hi same line chipka rahe hai. Kuch toh naya bolo (Everyone is now saying the same thing. Come up with something new)."