Champions Trophy Final – Dubai
New Zealand: 251-7 (50 overs)
•Daryl Mitchell 63 (101), Michael Bracewell 53 (40)
•Kuldeep Yadav 2-40, Varun Chakravarthy 2-45
India: 254-6 (49 overs)
•Rohit Sharma 76 (83)
•Michael Bracewell 2-28, Mitchell Santner 2-46
India won by four wickets
India secured the Champions Trophy title with a hard-fought four-wicket victory over New Zealand in Dubai, reaffirming their dominance in white-ball cricket.
Chasing a target of 252, India started strong but faced a tense middle-order collapse, losing three wickets for just 17 runs. Captain Rohit Sharma led the charge with a solid 76 before his dismissal triggered a brief slump, with Virat Kohli departing for just one.
Shreyas Iyer contributed a crucial 48, while Axar Patel’s aggressive 29 brought India closer to victory. However, New Zealand fought back, leaving India needing 49 runs from the last 51 balls. Hardik Pandya’s 18 kept the momentum alive before KL Rahul’s unbeaten 34 and Ravindra Jadeja’s composed finishing touch sealed the win with an over to spare.
India’s bowlers played a vital role in restricting New Zealand to 251-7, with spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy keeping the run rate in check. Despite a resilient effort from Mitchell and Bracewell, the Kiwis struggled to accelerate in the final overs.
With this victory, India solidifies its position as the premier white-ball team in world cricket. Following their heartbreak in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, they have since claimed both the T20 World Cup and now their third Champions Trophy title—their first since 2013.
The Dubai stadium echoed with loud cheers from Indian supporters as fireworks lit up the night sky, celebrating their team’s triumph. However, the final’s location remained a talking point, as it was originally scheduled to take place in Lahore, Pakistan—a venue change that occurred due to India’s refusal to travel.
India’s latest triumph cements their status as a cricketing powerhouse, adding another prestigious trophy to their ever-growing cabinet.
