Amir's India Prediction Backfires: Pakistan Pacer Tears into Santner Over T20 Final Blunders
Amir backed New Zealand to win but criticised Santner's tactics after India's dominant 96-run victory.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir criticised New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner after India’s commanding victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Final. Amir had earlier predicted that New Zealand would defeat India in the title clash, but the hosts delivered a dominant performance to secure a 96-run win at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, turning the match into a one-sided contest.
New Zealand had won the toss and chose to bowl first, hoping to restrict India to a manageable total. However, India’s batters produced a powerful display, piling up an imposing score of 255 runs. Contributions from Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Ishan Kishan helped India post the massive total, putting New Zealand under immense pressure from the start of the chase.
Following the result, Amir questioned Santner’s tactical decisions during the early stages of the match. Speaking during a discussion on the “Haarna Mana Hai” show, he criticised the bowling changes and said he struggled to understand why New Zealand failed to apply sustained spin pressure on Abhishek Sharma, who has previously shown vulnerability against spin bowling.
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Amir pointed out that New Zealand’s bowlers were conceding wides and boundaries during the powerplay, which allowed India to accelerate quickly. He argued that the team missed an opportunity to challenge the Indian batting line-up with a stronger spin strategy and instead opted for pace options that did not produce the desired results.
The former Pakistan pacer also admitted that India’s success in the tournament challenged a widely held belief that fast bowlers are the key to winning major tournaments. According to Amir, India’s explosive batting performances throughout the knockout stages proved that aggressive batting can be equally decisive in high-pressure matches.
India’s batting dominance in both the semi-final and the final was a defining feature of their title-winning campaign. With scores exceeding 250 in crucial matches, the team demonstrated a powerful attacking approach that ultimately helped them overpower New Zealand and secure the T20 World Cup crown.
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