New Delhi: Eight years after the heartbreak of losing to arch-rivals Pakistan in the final match, Rohit Sharma and his team brought joy to millions of cricket-lovers as India beat New Zealand by four wickets to clinch a record third ICC Champions Trophy title.
In doing so, the Men in Blue entered the history books Sunday as the team with maximum Champions Trophy titles, having won twice earlier in 2013 and 2002 (joint co-winners with Sri Lanka), leapfrogging Australia who emerged winners in 2006 and 2009.
A strong show by spinners and a strong opening partnership of 105 runs between openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill laid the foundation of India’s win. Later, K.L. Rahul and Hardik Pandya’s quickfire batting ensured no hiccups for their team.
Records were re-written as India, by virtue of their Sunday win, notched its 23rd win in 24 matches dating back to 2023.The two-year long streak in ICC white ball tournaments began after India won their first match of the 2023 ICC World Cup against Australia in the group stages. The final of the World Cup, against winners Australia, remains to be the only match India has lost in the time period.
As for the Champions Trophy win, India had to wait for 12 years since the M.S. Dhoni won the marquee tournament in 2013 in England and Wales.
India's 1️⃣2️⃣-year wait comes to an end finally 🤩🏆#ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/McUXxsjCaN
— ICC (@ICC) March 9, 2025
The latest win is sweeter given that India is the champions in the cricket’s shortest format— India defeated South Africa in the T20 Cricket World Cup final in Barbados in 2024.
What sets the two tournaments (T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025) apart is not just a marginal difference. While the team’s valiant effort was evident in both ICC events, it was the “spin to win” strategy that made all the difference in this edition of the Champions Trophy.
India’s bold decision to field five spinners, with one (Washington Sundar) not even getting a chance to play, proved to be a masterstroke on the Dubai surface, where they remained unbeaten and undisputed.
India’s spin quartet, comprising Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy, masterfully applied the brakes, weaving a web around batsmen throughout the tournament. Varun Chakravarthy led the charge, claiming 9 wickets, while the Indian spinners collectively accounted for 26 wickets in the tournament.
Familiarity with the surroundings played a significant role in India’s success. Having spent the last three weeks in Dubai, the team transformed the venue into a fortress. This development was a result of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to opt out of playing in Pakistan, the original host country, due to long-standing security concerns, as communicated to the ICC at the end of 2024.
India’s unbeaten run in the Champions Trophy 2025 included beating all teams they met along the way, a scintillating run seen in its 2024 T20 World Cup campaign as well.
The Men in Blue beat Bangladesh by 6 wickets, Pakistan by 6 wickets, New Zealand by 44 runs, Australia by 4 wickets, and New Zealand again by 4 wickets in the final.
Consistent show
The decision to host the tournament in the Emirates worked out perfectly for India, the world’s top ODI team. The best team in the tournament struggled with only one factor: toss. Captain Rohit Sharma incorrectly called the toss for the 12th time in a row the final, and his New Zealand counterpart Mitchell Santner chose to bat first.
New Zealand began strongly, with Rachin Ravindra unleashing powerful hits off Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya. At 46 for no loss after six overs, the Kiwis seemed poised for a big score. However, their momentum stalled as they lost three wickets in just 4.5 overs. Kuldeep Yadav struck immediately, dismissing Ravindra with his first ball, and then trapped Kane Williamson with a simple return catch.
India’s spinners maintained their stifling grip, choking the run flow as they had done throughout the tournament against Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand earlier. Kuldeep’s 2/56 against the Kiwis in the group stage was the only instance where one of Rohit’s spinners conceded over 50 runs in their allotted overs.
While Kuldeep and Chakravarthy used sharp turns to torment the batters, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja operated with speed and precision, cramping the Kiwis for space. Their contrasting approaches worked wonders, as India’s spinners combined to concede just 144 runs in 38 overs.
Kuldeep and Varun scalped two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed one wicket. Axar Patel was not among wicket-takers but he did his role by giving away a measly 29 runs in 8 overs.
The win did not come easy as India dropped four catches with Rohit, Shreyas Iyer, Mohd Shami and Shubman Gill being the culprits. In fact, Rachin Ravindra got reprieve from Shami and Iyer in two consecutive overs. The opener ended with 37 runs off 29 balls.
Rohit dropping Daryl Mitchell was the costliest as the batsman went on to score 63 runs, the highest for his side.
But Mitchell’s 63 was the slowest half-century by a New Zealander in 11 years. The innings was reminiscent of K.L. Rahul’s laborious 66 runs off 107 balls against Australia in Ahmedabad in 2023. Michael Bracewell’s brisk 53 off 40 balls and Rachin Ravindra’s
37 runs off 29 balls were exceptions in an otherwise sluggish New Zealand innings.
Clincial chase
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who had made cameo appearances throughout the tournament with scores between 15 and 41 runs, played a more patient innings, scoring a crucial 76 runs off 83 balls, batting for 26 overs.
He started aggressively, pulling Kyle Jamieson for a six off the second ball and hitting Nathan Smith for two sixes. Smith, who replaced the injured Matt Henry, struggled to make an impact. Henry’s absence was felt, as his wicket-taking ability would have put more pressure on India’s top order.
Michael Bracewell had a standout match, capping it off with an excellent bowling spell, conceding just 28 runs and claiming the prized wicket of Virat Kohli. Rachin Ravindra also performed with the ball as he finished with figures of 1/47.
The fact that the match went deep into the innings was misleading, as India’s batting depth ensured they had enough firepower to seal the win. Shreyas Iyer played a vital role, scoring 48 runs in a crucial 61-run partnership with Axar Patel. K.L. Rahul then drew on his experience and composure to guide India home, with Ravindra Jadeja hitting the winning boundary to secure the victory. Rahul ended unbeaten at 34 runs off 33 balls.
While India captain Rohit Sharma was awarded the Man of Match, Rachin Ravindra was adjudged Player of the Tournament following a stellar campaign.
“Very satisfying win. … there is too much expectation but they never disappointed. It helped them and we used that to our advantage. We were very consistent with our bowling,” Rohit said later after the match.
The Indian captain also had a word of praise for KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy. “Very grateful for the fans. We really appreciate their support. It may not be seen as useful but when they come out, it makes a difference,” he added
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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