India’s cricket team sets sights on Olympic gold after a dominant home victory secures a record third T20 World Cup title.
AHMEDABAD: Captain Suryakumar Yadav declared that winning gold at the 2028 Olympics is India’s next major objective. This follows their historic achievement of becoming the first team to retain the T20 World Cup title.
The co-hosts secured their third T20 crown with a commanding 96-run victory over New Zealand in Sunday’s final. This triumph also marked the first time a team has won the tournament on home soil.
“It has been very special,” Suryakumar told reporters during a celebratory midnight press conference. He confirmed the team’s ambition extends to the Los Angeles Games, where cricket will return to the Olympics for the first time since 1900.
India’s current era of dominance began with their 2024 T20 World Cup win in Barbados. That victory ended a long drought in major ICC events that dated back to the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Suryakumar took over the captaincy from the retired Rohit Sharma after that tournament. He credited the team’s shift to a fearless, attacking brand of cricket for their sustained success.
“I think that drought ended in 2024 after a really long time and from there we never looked back,” said the 35-year-old skipper. He expressed a desire to continue delivering special performances for the home crowd.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, who succeeded Rahul Dravid after the 2024 win, emphasised creating a new legacy. “I don’t believe in inheriting anything, I believe in creating something,” said the two-time World Cup winner.
Gambhir hopes the aggressive style of play his team has displayed will make the nation proud. This latest victory adds to India’s previous World Cup wins on home soil, including the 50-over title in 2011 and the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
