Ishan Kishan dedicates World Cup victory to cousin who died in car accident a day before
PTC News Desk: India's T20 World Cup victory will definitely be remembered for the game and subsequent celebrations. However the tournament final carries far more emotional memories. The wicketkeeper-batter revealed that he had lost his cousin sister in a car accident just a day before the final and dedicated India’s title triumph to her.
The 27-year-old cricketer Ishan Kishan shared the heartbreaking news after India’s strong victory over New Zealand in the final on March 8. Speaking at the post-match press conference in Ahmedabad, Kishan said he decided to play the match in memory of her. He added that a conversation with teammate Hardik Pandya helped him calm his mind before the most important match of the tournament despite his personal loss.
“To be honest, before the game, I lost my cousin sister yesterday in a car accident. I played well for her. I spoke to Hardik bhai, he said to put the team ahead. I dedicate this win to her, and today is Women's Day, so it makes it all the more special,” Kishan said.
Kishan also spoke about how his thinking has changed over the past year. He said he now tries not to overthink things that are beyond his control and instead focuses only on performing well. The wicketkeeper-batter also shared a light moment with India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav from before the World Cup squad was announced.
Kishan recalled that when Suryakumar called him, he even took a screenshot because he thought it was about the World Cup selection. During the call, the captain jokingly asked if he would help India win the World Cup. Kishan replied by asking if the captain trusted him, and when Suryakumar said yes, Kishan promised he would deliver.
Kishan’s emotional night in the final was also the perfect end to a great tournament for the Jharkhand batter. He finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, scoring 317 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 193.29. With three half-centuries during the tournament, he proved himself to be one of India’s most dangerous batters.
- With inputs from agencies
