ICC Champions Trophy final: Rohit Sharma and Rahul take India to four-wicket win

India won its third ICC Champions trophy. India won its last title in 2013 under the leadership of M.S. Dhoni.

Chasing a target of 252, India, led by captain Rohit Sharma from front, crossed the finishing line and defeated New Zealand by 4 wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday (March 9, 2025).

Rohit Sharma (76) and Shubman Gill (31) started the Indian innings on a strong note by adding 105 in 18.4 overs. After the dismissal of Gill, India lost Virat Kohli soon and there were some heartbreaks from Indian fans.

Soon India lost its captain with the score at 122. It was left to Shreyas Iyer (48) and Axar Patel (29) to consolidate the innings. They both added 61 runs for the fourth wicket. Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel were dismissed within a span of 20 runs.

K.L. Rahul (34) and Hardik Pandya (18) joined the act with the dismissal of Axar Patel. The dismissal of Hardik Pandya brought in Ravindra Jadeja to accompany Rahul and they both took the Indian team past the finishing line. India won its third ICC Champions trophy. India won its last title in 2013 under the leadership of M.S. Dhoni. India and Sri Lanka shared the trophy once. Team India lost to Pakistan in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.

It is the second time that India has won against New Zealand in the ICC knockouts.

Earlier, shepherded by a brilliant Kuldeep Yadav (2/40), Indian spinners aced the conditions but well-timed fifties by Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell steered New Zealand to a competitive 251 for seven.

Daryl Mitchell (63, 101 balls) and Bracewell (53 off 40 balls) navigated the Blackcaps through a turbulent middle phase after they opted to bat first.

However, the start made by New Zealand did not justify the total that they eventually managed.

They raced to 69 for 1 in 10 overs despite losing Will Young to Varun Chakravarthy (2/45), who came to bowl as early as the sixth over. The introduction of Kuldeep 11th over changed the complexion of the game.

IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live

With his first ball, Kuldeep consumed Rachin Ravindra, who failed to read a wonderfully concealed googly that disturbed his stumps.

It also ended a good 57-run opening stand, in which Ravindra, who punished Hardik Pandya for a six and two fours in row, was dropped on 28 by Mohammed Shami off his own bowling.

In the very next over, Kane Williamson’s forward prod off the left-arm wrist spinner eventuated in a return catch as the Kiwis slipped to 75 for three in 12.2 overs.

The four-pronged Indian spin attack assumed control of the proceedings from that point, and New Zealand could not find a boundary for the next 81 balls.

That tedious sequence was broken when Glenn Phillips hammered Kuldeep for a six over long-off.

Kuldeep and Varun, who at times breached the 100 kmph barrier, found appreciable turn off the deck.

Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, however, relied more on quickness to cramp Kiwis batters for space.

Both the methods of operation were equally effective on the day as the Indian tweakers conceded just 144 runs in the 38 overs bowled between them.

Chakravarthy also mixed his endless ensemble of tricks and accounted for Phillips to end a promising 57-run alliance for the fifth wicket Phillips could not nullify a 93 kmph googly, and was bowled while looking to cut the ball past square of the wicket.

However, New Zealand might still have hoped for a total in the vicinity of 260 as Mitchell, who cleverly milked the field for singles and twos, brought up his fifty in 91 balls.

His twin boundaries off Shami in the 46th over indicated a late charge by the Kiwis. He also stitched a useful 46-run partnership with Bracewell, who played some hefty shots, for the sixth wicket But the veteran pacer had the last laugh as Mitchell’s feeble attempt to launch him over the covers ended in the hands of Rohit Sharma.

Bracewell’s enterprise meant that the Kiwis would get 50 runs in the last five overs.

Scoreboard

New Zealand innings: Will Young lbw Varun 15 Rachin Ravindra b Kuldeep 37 Kane Williamson c&b Kuldeep 11 Daryl Mitchell c Rohit b Shami 63 Tom Latham lbw Jadeja 14 Glenn Phillips b Varun 34 Michael Bracewell not out 53 Mitchell Santner run out 8 Nathan Smith not out 0 Extras: (LB-3, W-13) 16

Total 251 for 7

Fall of Wickets: 1-57, 2-69, 3-75, 4-108, 5-165, 6-211, 7-239

India Bowling: Mohammed Shami 9-0-74-1, Hardik Pandya 3-0-30-0, Varun Chakravarthy 10-0-45-2, Kuldeep Yadav 10-0-40-2, Axar Patel 8-0-29-0, Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-30-1.

Published - March 09, 2025 02:24 pm IST