India head coach Gautam Gambhir said it was “great to see” MS Dhoni at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad after the former captain posted a heartfelt message congratulating the team on their historic triumph.
India produced a dominant performance to defeat New Zealand by 96 runs on Sunday, clinching their third T20 World Cup title. The victory was historic as India became the first team in the tournament’s history to successfully defend the title and also win it on home soil.
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The grand finale turned into a star-studded occasion with World Cup-winning captains Kapil Dev, Dhoni and Rohit Sharma present at the stadium.
Soon after the emphatic win, Dhoni took to Instagram to congratulate the team and shared a light-hearted message for Gambhir. In his post, the former wicketkeeper-batter advised the India coach to smile more often.
“Coach Sahab smile looks great on you, intensity with smile is a killer combo,” Dhoni wrote in part of his caption.
On Monday, Gambhir responded to the viral post in the comment section, saying the World Cup triumph was the perfect reason to smile. “And what a reason to smile. Great seeing you,” Gambhir wrote.
Gambhir and Dhoni share a memorable cricketing history, including their match-winning partnership in the 2011 Cricket World Cup Final against Sri Lanka. While their relationship has often been debated in public discussions, the two have generally maintained a cordial bond.
Before the summit clash began in Ahmedabad, Rohit and Dhoni walked out to the middle carrying the T20 World Cup trophy alongside Jay Shah, chairman of the International Cricket Council.
In the final, half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma powered India to 255/5 in 20 overs. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah then starred with four wickets as New Zealand were bowled out for 159, sealing a memorable victory.
