March 2026 may well go down as the most packed month in cricket history. A World Cup final for the ages, the launch of two major T20 leagues on the same day, a five-match bilateral series between two semi-finalists, and women’s cricket delivering riveting storylines across the globe. Here’s everything that’s happened – and everything still to come.
India Win the T20 World Cup – Again
On March 8, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India crushed New Zealand by 96 runs to clinch their third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title. The victory was layered with firsts: the first team to defend the T20 World Cup, the first to win it at home, and the first to lift the trophy three times – surpassing two-time champions West Indies and England.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav became the fourth Indian skipper to win a major ICC event, following Kapil Dev (1983), MS Dhoni (2007, 2011, 2013), and Rohit Sharma (2024, 2025). For Ahmedabad, it was also a moment of redemption – India’s last World Cup final at this ground, the 2023 ODI decider, had ended in heartbreak against Australia.
The final was effectively over inside the powerplay. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma plundered 92 runs in six overs – the joint-highest powerplay score in T20 World Cup history. Abhishek blazed to fifty in just 18 balls, the fastest of the tournament. Samson compiled a masterful 89 off 46 – the highest individual score in any T20 World Cup final – before Ishan Kishan added a rapid 54 off 25.
New Zealand’s chase was strangled by Jasprit Bumrah (4/15) and Axar Patel (3/27). Tim Seifert fought with a lone half-century, but the Black Caps folded for 159 in the 19th over. It was their fifth consecutive defeat in a white-ball ICC final across 11 years.
“After the New Zealand series, I was broken. My dreams had shattered. But God had different plans.”
– Sanju Samson, Player of the Tournament
Samson’s Redemption Arc
Samson’s arc was the tournament’s defining story. He didn’t even play in the group stage. After a dismal bilateral T20I series against New Zealand in January (46 runs in five matches), he was outside the starting XI. Brought back for the knockouts, he produced one of the greatest individual runs in World Cup history: an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies, 89 against England in the semi-final, and 89 in the final.
His 321 runs came at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37 – earning him the Player of the Tournament award, only the third Indian to receive it after Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. He scored more runs in semi-finals and finals combined than any player in any T20 World Cup ever.
Team of the Tournament
The ICC named four Indians in the XI: Samson, Kishan, Hardik Pandya, and Bumrah. South Africa’s Aiden Markram was named captain. Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan topped the run charts with 383, while American pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk impressed with 13 wickets at an economy of 6.80. New Zealand’s Finn Allen – who smashed a 33-ball century in the semi-final against South Africa – also earned his spot.
🏏 New Zealand vs South Africa – Five-Match T20I Series
NZ vs SA Men’s T20Is
March 15–25 • Venues across New Zealand
South Africa, led by stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj with four debutants, took the opener in Mount Maunganui. Nineteen-year-old debutant Nqobani Mokoena starred with 3/26 as NZ were bowled out for just 91. New Zealand hit back emphatically — Devon Conway (60) and the pace duo of Ben Sears (3/14) and Lockie Ferguson (3/16) levelled the series in Hamilton. Ferguson’s extraordinary 4-0-9-1 in Auckland sealed a 2-1 lead, before South Africa kept the series alive with a 19-run win in Wellington. Series decider: March 25, Hamilton.
The series has offered a window into post-World Cup squad-building. Ferguson confirmed he’ll miss the early IPL to stay committed to NZ duties. Conway, who didn’t play at the World Cup, reminded selectors of his quality. For South Africa, teenaged Mokoena has announced himself as a genuine pace prospect.
IPL 2026 – Countdown to March 28
The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League kicks off in five days. The league has been expanded to 84 matches (up from 74), with each team playing 16 group-stage games. The final is set for May 31 in Bengaluru – home of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Opening Week Fixtures
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 28 | RCB vs SRH | Bengaluru |
| Mar 29 | MI vs KKR | Mumbai |
| Mar 30 | RR vs CSK | Guwahati |
| Mar 31 | PBKS vs GT | New Chandigarh |
Five Storylines to Track
1. The Samson-Jadeja Blockbuster Trade
The off-season’s headline move. Fresh off his World Cup heroics, Sanju Samson arrives at Chennai Super Kings, while Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran head to Rajasthan Royals. First head-to-head: March 30 in Guwahati.
2. RCB’s Title Defence
After ending an 18-year drought in 2025, Virat Kohli’s RCB are the team everyone wants to beat. Kohli has urged teammates to “not waste even a minute” of preparation. Bengaluru hosts both the opener and the final – a fairytale bookend is possible.
3. KKR’s Injury Crisis
Kolkata Knight Riders are reeling. Akash Deep (lower back stress reaction), Harshit Rana, and Dushmantha Chameera are all sidelined. Most expensive buy Cameron Green (₹25.20 crore) carries enormous expectations. R. Ashwin has publicly noted that KKR’s bowling attack no longer carries the fear factor it once did.
4. Expanded Format – 84 Matches, Dual Groups
Each team now plays 16 group-stage matches. RCB play home games in Bengaluru and Raipur. PBKS split between New Chandigarh and Dharamshala. RR use Jaipur and Guwahati. Only the first 20 fixtures are confirmed – state elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal delayed the full schedule.
5. The Bangladesh Fallout
Diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh have reshaped squad dynamics. KKR’s Mustafizur Rahman was removed on BCCI instructions. Bangladesh banned IPL broadcasts and refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup (replaced by Scotland).
Pre-Season Form Watch
Intra-squad matches have offered early reads. KKR’s Angkrish Raghuvanshi smashed 103 off 55 balls. SRH’s Abhishek Sharma blasted 94 off 42, while Nitish Reddy hit 73 off 40. Jaydev Unadkat grabbed a five-wicket haul, and Ishan Kishan continued his World Cup form with 72.
PSL 2026 – Eight Teams, New Era
The Pakistan Super League’s 11th season launches on March 26 – two days before the IPL – creating a fascinating head-to-head for cricket audiences. For the first time, the PSL features eight franchises, with Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz joining the fold.
The opener sees defending champions Lahore Qalandars hosting Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium. The league runs until May 3, with the final also in Lahore. This edition marks several firsts: the first-ever player auction in PSL history (replacing the draft), matches in Faisalabad and Peshawar for the first time, and a new trophy design named “Infinity” – handcrafted by 18 artisans over 2,600 hours.
Rawalpindiz signed Naseem Shah for Rs. 8.65 crore – the most expensive player in PSL auction history – alongside New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell. Lahore Qalandars signed Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladeshi pacer released from his IPL contract, as a direct signing. David Warner goes to Karachi Kings.
Women’s Cricket – Devine Dominance & World Cup Build-Up
March has delivered compelling women’s cricket on multiple fronts, all building towards the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England (June–July 2026).
NZ Women 3-1 South Africa Women (Series Won)
Sophie Devine has been phenomenal. In Auckland, she scored 59* and took 2/21 to secure the series lead. In Wellington, she followed with 64 off 34 to clinch the series with a game to spare – her 10th fifty-plus score in 19 T20I innings against South Africa. At 35 and playing her 150th T20I, Devine remains one of the most destructive all-rounders in the game. Jess Kerr’s pace bowling (3/16 in Wellington) has added another dimension, while Annerie Dercksen (55* in the 4th T20I) was the standout for the visitors.
Australia Women 2-0 Up vs West Indies
Australia have clinched the T20I series in Kingstown with wins of 43 and 17 runs. Beth Mooney (79 in the opener) and Alana King (3/14 and 2/25 across both games) have been the stars. King’s return to the T20I squad has strengthened her case for World Cup selection, though she remains behind Georgia Wareham in the pecking order. Fitness concerns for captain Sophie Molineux (back) and Ashleigh Gardner (hamstring) need monitoring ahead of the World Cup. The dead rubber is today, March 23.
📅 What’s Still to Come This Month
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Mar 23 | WI Women vs AUS Women – 3rd T20I (dead rubber), Kingstown |
| Mar 24–29 | T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier B |
| Mar 25 | NZ vs SA – 5th T20I, Series Decider, Hamilton |
| Mar 25 | NZ Women vs SA Women – 5th T20I, Hamilton |
| Mar 26 | PSL 2026 Opens – Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Gaddafi Stadium |
| Mar 28 | IPL 2026 Opens – RCB vs SRH, Chinnaswamy Stadium, 7:30 PM IST |
| Mar 29 | IPL – MI vs KKR, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Mar 30 | IPL – RR vs CSK (Samson vs Jadeja!), Guwahati |
| Mar 31 | IPL – PBKS vs GT, New Chandigarh |
Looking Ahead – April & Beyond
As the IPL and PSL roll through April and into May, the cricket calendar only gets denser. India Women tour South Africa for T20Is in April. Sri Lanka Women visit Bangladesh for ODIs and T20Is. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England begins in June, with Australia, India, and New Zealand all building squads through the bilateral series happening right now.
The World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle continues to take shape, with multiple bilateral Test series scheduled for mid-year. In the United States, Major League Cricket’s fourth season runs June 18 to July 18 – Texas Super Kings vs Seattle Orcas in the opener.
For Indian cricket, the current moment is an embarrassment of riches. The men’s team holds the T20 World Cup, the Women’s ODI World Cup, and multiple age-group titles. Whether this dominance can survive the gruelling IPL season and extend into the next ICC cycle is the overarching question – but for now, March 2026 belongs to a team, and a sport, at the peak of its powers.