India Edge New Zealand to Claim Record Third Champions Trophy

Dubai witnessed a historic night as India lifted their third ICC Champions Trophy title, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in a tense final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. A composed chase led by KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja saw India reach 254/6 with an over to spare, successfully overhauling the Black Caps’ 251/7.

India Overcome Middle-Order Wobbles to Seal Victory

India’s pursuit of 252 began in dominant fashion, with openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill forging a solid 105-run partnership. Rohit looked in imperious touch, anchoring the innings with a classy 76. However, New Zealand, known for their tenacity in ICC events, clawed back into the contest with a flurry of quick wickets.

Glenn Phillips produced a moment of brilliance, pulling off a stunning leaping catch at backward point to dismiss Gill for 31 off Mitchell Santner’s bowling. Just four balls later, Michael Bracewell trapped Virat Kohli lbw for a mere 1, sending shockwaves through the Indian camp.

The pressure intensified when Rachin Ravindra outfoxed Rohit, drawing him out of the crease for Tom Latham to effect a sharp stumping. The Black Caps further tightened their grip as Ravindra took a sharp catch to dismiss Shreyas Iyer for 48, while Axar Patel followed soon after, caught by Will O’Rourke off Bracewell.

A breezy 18-run cameo from Hardik Pandya provided some relief, but when Kyle Jamieson removed him in the 48th over, the match was hanging in the balance. KL Rahul (39*) and Ravindra Jadeja (25*) held their nerve, steering India to victory with an unbroken stand, ensuring there were no last-minute slip-ups.

𝗖. 𝗛. 𝗔. 𝗠. 𝗣. 𝗜. 𝗢. 𝗡. 𝗦! 🇮🇳🏆 🏆 🏆

The Rohit Sharma-led #TeamIndia are ICC #ChampionsTrophy 2025 𝙒𝙄𝙉𝙉𝙀𝙍𝙎 👏 👏

Take A Bow! 🙌 🙌#INDvNZ | #Final | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/ey2llSOYdG

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2025

Spinners Dominate as India Restrict New Zealand

Earlier, New Zealand opted to bat first, but their innings struggled for momentum against India’s disciplined spin attack. Despite a promising start, the Black Caps were pegged back in the middle overs as India’s spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy weaved their magic.

Varun provided the breakthrough in the eighth over, trapping Will Young lbw. Rachin Ravindra’s fluent 37 off 29 balls threatened to lay a strong foundation, but Kuldeep rattled his stumps before catching-and-bowling captain Kane Williamson, who battled a quad injury, for just 14.

Latham was also dismissed lbw by Jadeja, while Glenn Phillips played a gritty knock of 34 before being bowled by Varun. Daryl Mitchell top-scored for New Zealand with a patient 63 off 101 balls, but with only three boundaries, his innings lacked fluency.

A late counterattack saw the Black Caps add 50 runs in the final five overs, with Michael Bracewell’s unbeaten 53 providing some much-needed impetus. Captain Santner was run out in the penultimate over, as New Zealand pushed for every possible run in a bid to challenge the Indian batting lineup.

India’s Unbeaten Run Ends in Glory

India entered the final as the only unbeaten team in the tournament, having outclassed Australia in the semi-finals. With a well-balanced squad, they showcased dominance across all departments, capping their flawless campaign with a well-earned triumph.