In an Edge-of-your-seat finish at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on March 9, 2025, India won the ICC Champions Trophy by beating New Zealand. The game was filled with outstanding performances by both teams, leading to India’s chase of the 252-run target New Zealand had posted.
New Zealand’s Innings: Strong Batting Despite Spin Challenge
Choosing to bat first after the toss, New Zealand had to contend with a strong Indian spin attack. Opener Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham began sluggishly, but it was the strong work of Daryl Mitchell with a mature 63 that carried on the innings. In the lower middle order, a 53 not out by Michael Bracewell pushed the required acceleration, taking New Zealand’s total to 251/7 from their 50 overs. India’s spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, had made the runs arrive in trickles as both of them picked two wickets each.
India’s Chase: A Mix of Aggression and Serenity
In the wake of 252, India provided a satisfactory initiation, owing to the enterprising spirit of skipper Rohit Sharma. His 76 scores set up for a satisfactory middle order innings. Shubman Gill rallied alongside his skipper with a suitable knock, while half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel in defiance of mid-match jitters helped keep India afloat. The partnership of the two proved to be instrumental in seeing through a perilous period of the innings, particularly after the fall of the top order batsmen.
Key Moments and Turning Points
- Rohit Sharma’s Wicket: The dismissal of Rohit at a critical moment would have swung the momentum towards New Zealand. However, India’s middle order did not cave in.
- Spin Dominance: Both teams’ spinners had decisive roles to play. India’s spinners strangulated New Zealand’s run rate, and New Zealand’s spinners attempted the same during India’s chase but could not take timely breakthroughs.
- Fielding Errors: New Zealand’s fielding was far from spectacular, with several dropped catches that in the end turned out to be expensive.
Scorecard Summary
| New Zealand Innings | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | S/R |
| Will Young | 15 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 65.22 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 37 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 127.59 |
| Tom Latham | 14 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 46.67 |
| Kane Williamson | 11 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 78.57 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 63 | 101 | 3 | 0 | 62.38 |
| Glenn Phillips | 34 | 52 | 2 | 1 | 65.38 |
| Michael Bracewell | 53 | 40 | 3 | 2 | 132.50 |
| Mitchell Santner | 53 | 40 | 3 | 2 | 132.50 |
| Nathan Smith | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 16 | ||||
| Total | 251/7 | 50 overs |
| India Bowling | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Mohammed Shami | 9.0 | 0 | 74 | 1 | 8.22 |
| Hardik Pandya | 3.0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 10.0 | 0 | 45 | 2 | 4.50 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 10.0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | 4.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 10.0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 3.63 |
| Axar Patel | 8.0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 3.00 |
| India Innings | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | S/R |
| Rohit Sharma | 76 | 83 | 7 | 3 | 91.57 |
| Shubman Gill | 31 | 50 | 0 | 1 | 62.00 |
| Virat Kohli | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 48 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 77.50 |
| Axar Patel | 29 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 72.50 |
| KL Rahul | 34 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 103.03 |
| Hardik Pandya | 18 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 100.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Extras | 8 | ||||
| Total | 254/6 | 49 overs |
| New Zealand Bowling | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Kyle Jamieson | 5.0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 4.80 |
| Will O’Rourke | 7.0 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 8.00 |
| Nathan Smith | 2.0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 11.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 10.0 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 4.60 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 10.0 | 1 | 47 | 1 | 4.70 |
| Michael Bracewell | 10.0 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 2.80 |
| Glenn Phillips | 5.0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 6.20 |
Conclusion
India’s victory in the ICC Champions Trophy final was a testament to their well-rounded team performance. Cricket match updates by News Trendzs are a measure of how the combination of veterans and young players saw them go unbeaten through the tournament. New Zealand, though they gave their best, were unable to capitalize on opportune moments, resulting in their slender defeat. This win places yet another feather in India’s crowning glory as cricketers, further cementing their superiority in the ODI format.
