DUBAI – India won another global cricket tournament with a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma led the chase with 76 runs off 83 balls and Lokesh Rahul’s unbeaten 34 helped India cross the finish line on 254-6 in 49 overs to win the Champions Trophy for the third time.
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Half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell earlier helped New Zealand, which won the toss and chose to bat first, put on 251-7 in its 50 overs on a slow, two-paced Dubai wicket.
Sharma provided a fiery start to India's innings, with the India skipper hitting seven fours and three sixes. Hardik Pandya scored a run-a-ball 18, putting on a crucial 38 runs off 36 balls for the sixth wicket with Rahul.
Sharma was named player of the match.
“We played really good cricket throughout the tournament," Sharma said. "I wanted to bat in a different (aggressive) way and having batting depth gives you that freedom.”
It was India’s 23rd win in 24 games across the last three men’s ICC events stretching back to 2023 – the only loss coming against Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final.
India won the Twenty20 World Cup final against South Africa last year.
Both sides have previously won this tournament. India’s previous success came in 2013 and it was runner-up to Pakistan in 2017. It also shared the trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002 after a rain-affected two-day final.
New Zealand won the Champions Trophy (then the ICC Knockout Trophy) in 2000 – it beat India in the final at Nairobi, Kenya. It remains the only limited-overs ICC trophy in the Black Caps’ cabinet.
All of India's matches were played in Dubai after the Indian government refused permission for its team to go to official host Pakistan on security grounds.
SECOND-BALL SIX
Sharma started with a six on the second ball, a taste of what was to come. Shubman Gill was watchful at the other end – his 31 off 50 balls helping to put on 105 in almost 19 overs with Sharma for the first wicket.
Glenn Phillips got the breakthrough with yet another sensational catch at extra cover, as Gill was caught off New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner (2-46). It quickly became a double blow when Bracewell (2-28) trapped Virat Kohli lbw for one with India now at 106-2.
New Zealand exerted pressure which resulted in Sharma's wicket – he was out stumped off Rachin Ravindra with the scorecard reading 122-3.
Shreyas Iyer scored an invaluable 48 off 62 to push the innings ahead. He added 61 off 75 with Axar Patel (29).
The game swung again when Iyer was caught by Ravindra – another brilliant take – off Santner. Patel pushed the score past 200, but then holed out off Bracewell.
That brought Rahul and Pandya together with 51 needed off 51 balls – they were cautious but also took calculated risks.
Pandya skied a catch close to the finish, but Rahul denied any other twist to the game as India won its second men’s ICC trophy in two years. Ravindra Jadeja hit the winning boundary.
Mitchell anchors New Zealand
Rachin Ravindra put on 57 with Will Young (15) for the opening partnership.
Ravindra, who finished as player of the tournament with 263 runs in four games, hit four fours and a six as India searched for answers in the powerplay. He was dropped twice in quick succession early on.
Varun Chakravarthy (2-45) provided the breakthrough for India by trapping Young lbw in the eighth over. Kuldeep Yadav (2-40) bowled Ravindra with a googly in the 11th over.
New Zealand was down to 75-3 as Yadav accepted an easy return catch off Kane Williamson (11), a prized wicket for India.
Mitchell then scored a sedate 63 off 101 balls to anchor the innings.
Indian spinners seized control as Jadeja trapped Tom Latham lbw for 14.
India’s fielding continued to disappoint its fans – it dropped as many as five catches through the innings. Mitchell was also dropped once on his way to 50 off 91 balls. It was a slow innings, as required by India’s spin dominance, but Mitchell added 57 off 87 balls with Phillips, who scored 34 runs with two fours and a six.
Chakravarthy bowled Phillips in the 38th over, just when New Zealand was looking to accelerate. The wrist spinner finished with nine wickets in three games in the tournament.
Mitchell and Bracewell then came together, making a final push in the last powerplay. They put on 46 off 47 balls for the sixth wicket, pushing the score past 200.
Mohammed Shami bowled Mitchell, but Bracewell’s flourish in the end helped New Zealand to around a par score on a tough surface. Bracewell scored 53 not out off 40 balls, with three fours and two sixes.
UNBEATEN INDIA
India went through the entire tournament unbeaten after wins against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in the group phase, and then Australia in the semifinal.
New Zealand beat Pakistan in Karachi, and then Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, before making the trip to Dubai to play India. The Black Caps then returned to Pakistan where it beat South Africa in the second semifinal at Lahore.
“It has been a good tournament – we had challenges along the way, but we have grown as a group and played some good cricket," Santner said. "We were beaten by a good side who turned up today. Rohit’s innings was outstanding and it put us on the back foot.”
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