Producer Ekta Kapoor recently experienced a memorable first when she watched a cricket match for the very first time—and it happened to be the grand final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 between the India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team. The high-stakes match turned out to be an exciting introduction to the sport for the celebrated television and film producer.
Ekta documented her experience on Instagram Stories on Sunday, sharing a series of lively clips from the evening. The producer was joined by several close friends and colleagues, turning the match into a fun social gathering filled with laughter, cheering and plenty of entertainment.
Among those seen with her was television actor Urvashi Dholakia, who appeared in a few of the videos shared by Ekta. The group seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the electric atmosphere as they watched the much-anticipated final. Later in the evening, Ekta’s longtime friend, interior designer Sussanne Khan, also joined the celebration along with her boyfriend Arslan Goni.
In one candid video clip from the night, Ekta admitted that cricket had never really been her favourite sport. However, surrounded by enthusiastic fans and the buzz of the World Cup final, she decided to give it a chance. Laughing while recording the video, she confessed that she was watching cricket for the very first time in her life.
While sharing her thoughts in the clip, Ekta humorously explained that she had started watching the match mainly because everyone around her loved cricket. She also joked that although the group was hoping for India to win, viewers could also use the match breaks to catch an episode of her popular television show Naagin.
“First time in my life I am watching cricket, because other people in this world like cricket, not me. Of course, we are hoping India wins. India should win. But agar break me tumlog ne Naagin bhi dekh liya toh maza ajaega,” she said playfully in the video, leaving her friends laughing.
The match itself turned out to be a spectacular display of cricket. India dominated the game with a powerful batting performance, putting up an impressive total of 255 runs. New Zealand struggled to keep pace with the challenging target and were eventually bowled out for 159 runs, handing India a convincing victory and another historic World Cup triumph.
Apart from enjoying the thrilling match, Ekta is currently busy preparing for the release of her upcoming film project Bhooth Bangla. The film stars Akshay Kumar in the lead role and is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Priyadarshan. Scheduled to release in theatres on April 10, the horror comedy has already generated significant buzz among movie lovers.
The film is presented by Ekta’s production banner Balaji Motion Pictures, which operates under Balaji Telefilms Ltd, in collaboration with Akshay Kumar’s production house Cape of Good Films.
In addition to Akshay Kumar, the film features an ensemble cast including Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Tabu and Rajpal Yadav. The film will also feature a special posthumous appearance by veteran actor Asrani, who passed away in October 2025.
Recently, Ekta also spoke about the strategic timing of the film’s release. She revealed that it was a conscious decision to schedule Bhooth Bangla shortly after the release of Dhurandhar 2, directed by Aditya Dhar. The sequel to the blockbuster Dhurandhar, which released in December 2025 and reportedly earned more than ₹1300 crore globally, is set to hit theatres on March 19.
According to Ekta, the release window for Bhooth Bangla was carefully planned to coincide with a time when many students would have completed their exams and families would be looking for entertainment options. She also emphasised the importance of offering audiences a variety of films to choose from.
Speaking during a media interaction with PTI, Ekta explained that family audiences often enjoy light-hearted films, especially during holiday periods. She added that the goal behind Bhooth Bangla is to provide a different kind of cinematic experience and bring diverse entertainment choices to viewers.
With India celebrating a memorable cricket victory and Ekta gearing up for a major film release, the producer’s playful introduction to cricket added a fun and relatable moment to the excitement surrounding the World Cup final.