India secured the top spot in Group A of the Champions Trophy with a commanding 44-run victory over New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday. Rohit Sharma’s side opted for a spin-heavy approach, dropping Harshit Rana and fielding four spinners, a decision that proved pivotal in dismantling the Kiwi batting lineup while defending a target of 249. With this win, India completed the group stage with six points, while New Zealand finished second with four points.
Chasing 250, New Zealand struggled against India’s spinners on a slow, used surface. Hardik Pandya struck the first blow, dismissing Rachin Ravindra (6) with the help of a brilliant catch by Axar Patel. Will Young, who looked solid early on, was clean-bowled for 22 by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Despite the setbacks, New Zealand reached 50 in 12.2 overs.
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Daryl Mitchell became Kuldeep Yadav’s first victim, trapped LBW for 17, leaving New Zealand at 93/3. Kane Williamson, anchoring the innings, reached a patient half-century in 77 balls, but India kept tightening the screws. Tom Latham (14) fell to Ravindra Jadeja, while Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell were both undone by Chakravarthy in quick succession.
With the asking rate climbing, Williamson attempted to accelerate but fell for 81 off 120 balls, stumped while advancing down the pitch to Chakravarthy. He walked off without looking back, knowing his dismissal had sealed New Zealand’s fate. Mitchell Santner played a fighting knock of 28 off 31 balls, but Chakravarthy completed his five-wicket haul by dismissing him as well. Kuldeep Yadav wrapped up the innings on 205, sealing India’s 44-run victory.
Chakravarthy was named Player of the Match for his outstanding 5/42 in 10 overs. Kuldeep contributed with 2/56 in 9.3 overs, while Pandya, Axar, and Jadeja took one wicket each.
Earlier, after electing to bowl first, New Zealand made an early breakthrough as Matt Henry trapped Shubman Gill LBW for 2 in just the third over. Rohit Sharma followed soon after, mistiming a pull shot off Kyle Jamieson to square leg, departing for 15. India was struggling at 22/2 in 5.1 overs.
Virat Kohli, playing his 300th ODI, looked fluent but was dismissed for 11 off 14 balls, driving a Henry delivery straight to Glenn Phillips at backward point. India found themselves in deep trouble at 30/3 in 6.4 overs.
Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel then led India’s recovery with a crucial partnership. At the end of the first 10 overs, India was 37/3, with Iyer and Axar cautiously rebuilding the innings. Axar broke the shackles with a sweep shot off Mitchell Santner, helping India reach 50 in 15.1 overs. Iyer followed with a counterattack against Will O’Rourke, hitting three boundaries in quick succession.
Their 50-run stand came in 85 balls, and by the halfway mark, India was 104/3, with Iyer on 44 and Axar on 26. Iyer reached his half-century in 75 balls, but their partnership ended at 98 runs when Rachin Ravindra removed Axar for 42 off 61 balls, with Williamson taking a sharp catch at backward square leg. India was 128/4 in 29.2 overs.
Iyer kept the scoreboard moving with boundaries, bringing up India’s 150 in 33.2 overs. However, he fell for 79 off 98 balls, failing to control a pull shot against O’Rourke. KL Rahul struggled to score freely and was caught behind off Santner for 23, leaving India at 182/6 in 39.1 overs.
Jadeja and Pandya accelerated the scoring, bringing up the 200-run mark in the 43rd over. Henry, however, continued his impressive spell, dismissing Jadeja for 16 with another sharp catch by Williamson. Hardik counterattacked in the 49th over, smashing Jamieson for two fours and a six to push India closer to 250.
Henry completed his five-wicket haul by removing Pandya for 45 off 45 balls in the penultimate over. Mohammed Shami fell on the final delivery, and India finished at 249/9. Henry ended with figures of 5/41 in 10 overs, providing New Zealand’s best bowling effort.
Mitchell Santner Reflects on New Zealand’s Loss to India, Praises Indian Spinners
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged that India’s superior control in the middle overs played a decisive role in his team’s 44-run defeat in their final group-stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The loss saw India finish the group stage unbeaten, securing three wins in three matches, while New Zealand ended in second place.
Speaking after the match, Santner noted that the pitch in Dubai was much slower compared to the ones New Zealand had encountered in the Pakistan leg of the tournament. The sluggish surface made stroke play difficult, and India capitalized on it by deploying a well-planned spin attack led by Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja.
“It was a slower wicket than what we have come against. We knew that going in. India controlled the middle phase better,” Santner said in the post-match presentation.
Santner also praised Shreyas Iyer for his composed innings, which laid the foundation for India’s total of 249. “The key for us was getting wickets in the powerplay, and that was good to see,” he added, referring to Matt Henry’s five-wicket haul that kept India in check during the first innings.
Looking ahead to New Zealand’s semifinal clash against South Africa in Lahore, Santner emphasized the importance of handling South Africa’s pace attack on potentially livelier surfaces. “On those wickets with some pace and bounce, they have four good pacers, so we will have to see how we play them. We have to wait and see if it is a used or a fresh surface,” he said.
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