New Delhi: Team India star Ishan Kishan battled a tragic personal loss ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 09. Kishan lost his cousin sister and brother-in-law in a car accident on the eve of the final, but fought through grief to turn up and deliver for India on one of the biggest nights of his career.
As Kishan smashed a quickfire 54 off 25 balls to play his part in helping India set up a mammoth total of 255/5 in the final against the Kiwis, his father, Pranav Pandey, was in Siliguri dealing with the tragedy. The Pandey senior was planning to travel to Ahmedabad to watch the final and his son train before the game at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
However, he received the news of Kishan’s cousin sister and her husband’s demise when he was on his way to the Patna airport to catch a flight to Ahmedabad on Friday. Pranav Pandey rushed back home and left for Siliguri to be with his relatives at the time of the tragedy.
The car accident claimed the lives of Kishan’s cousin sister and his brother-in-law, but the couple’s two children, ages six months and three years, miraculously survived. Kishan’s father revealed the cricketer was distraught when he heard the news of his sister’s demise, but couldn’t attend the rituals due to the final.
“Anarth ho gaya. Hum log bahut badi musibat mein hain (Something terrible has happened. We are in a very big problem),” Prnav Pandey was quoted as saying by TimesofIndia.com.
“We are all in shock. Ishan wanted to visit us, but he couldn’t return because of the final. He is absolutely distraught”.
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Ishan Kishan dedicates T20 World Cup victory to his late cousin sister
Kishan dedicated the victory to his late cousin sister after India beat New Zealand by 96 runs in the final to lift their third title. India scripted history by becoming the first team to win two T20 World Cup titles in a row and the first to win the prestigious trophy at home. India also became the most successful team in the tournament’s history with their third title.
“I lost my cousin sister yesterday in a road accident and she always wanted me to score big runs. This is for her. I got to know about it yesterday and was very disturbed,” Kishan said in the post-match press conference, dedicating India’s triumph to his late sister.
Kishan was the second-highest run-getter for India in the final with his 54 off 25 balls, which was laced with four sixes and as many fours. He, along with Sanju Samson (89) and Abhishek Sharma (52) launched a carnage against the New Zealand bowling attack to power India to a huge total of 255/5 in 20 overs, the highest in a T20 World Cup final.
Kishan was seen celebrating his half-century by looking up to the heavens, a gesture he doesn’t do too often. After the onsluaght from the batters, Indian bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel bundled out the Kiwis for 159 runs in 19 overs to secure a thumping victory for the Men in Blue in the final.
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