India made history on Sunday by securing their third ICC Champions Trophy title, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in a nail-biting final of the tournament hosted in Pakistan.
The win added to their previous triumphs in 2002 and 2013, pushing India ahead of Australia, who have two Champions Trophy titles. With this victory, India extends its dominance, having been unbeaten in the tournament held across Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, with all their matches taking place in Dubai due to political tensions.
Set to chase 252 runs, the 2013 Champions Trophy winners made a confident start. The opening partnership between captain Rohit Sharma and top-ranked ODI batter Shubman Gill was explosive, adding 105 runs before Gill was dismissed for 31 off 50 balls. Mitchell Santner’s stunning catch at short cover off a Glenn Phillips delivery removed Gill.
The Indians faced a brief setback as Sharma (76 off 83 balls) and Virat Kohli (1 run) were dismissed in quick succession by Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra. However, the middle order quickly stabilized the innings as Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer added 61 runs before both were dismissed within a span of 16 balls. Iyer contributed 48 runs off 62 balls, while Patel made 29 off 40 deliveries.
Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul then built a 38-run partnership, taking India close to the target. Despite a stirring dismissal of Pandya by Kyle Jamieson, Rahul held his nerve, guiding India to victory with an unbeaten 34 off 33 balls.
New Zealand’s bowlers, Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell, each took two wickets, while Ravindra and Jamieson picked up one wicket apiece.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s decision to bat first backfired as their batting unit could only muster 251/7 in their allotted overs, with Daryl Mitchell’s half-century being the highlight.
The Blackcaps started strongly, with openers Will Young and Rachin Ravindra forming a solid 57-run partnership before both were dismissed by India’s bowlers. Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets, including that of Ravindra and Kane Williamson, reducing New Zealand to 75/3 in the 12th over.
Mitchell held the innings together with a measured 63 off 101 balls, including three boundaries, before falling to Mohammed Shami. Michael Bracewell played a vital role, finishing unbeaten on 53 off 40 balls, which helped New Zealand reach a total of 251/7.
India’s bowlers, led by Yadav and Chakravarthy, who each took two wickets, were instrumental in dismantling the Blackcaps’ batting lineup. Ravindra Jadeja and Shami also contributed one wicket apiece.
Final Score:
- India: 252/6 (48.6 overs)
- New Zealand: 251/7 (50 overs)
India’s Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
New Zealand’s Squad: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke, Nathan Smith.
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