0
0
Ind vs NZ: In the nail-biting finale that was held at the Dubai International Stadium, the Indian team emerged victorious against the Kiwis, to lift the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The team secured a 4-wicket win in the match which had fans on the edge of the seats, until the last over.
Ravindra Jadeja smashed the winning runs with the boundary, sending the crowd into frenzy, as the fireworks started to lit up the sky. The victory marked the 1st Champions Trophy title for India since 2013, and the 2nd consecutive ICC Trophy, following the T20 World Cup Triumph in 2024.
Ind vs NZ: Match full of Twists and Turns
Chasing the target of 252, the innings by India was a rollercoaster ride. The chase started to begin with the blistering start from Captain Rohit Sharma. He blasted 41-ball hall-century and ensured to set the tone for the innings. Alongside Shubman Gill, Rohit was able to put up a 100-run opening partnership in 17 overs. It gave India the much needed solid foundation. However, the New Zealand team fought back with the quick wickets, including crucial dismissals of,
- Rohit- 76 off 83 balls
- Virat Kohli- 1 off 2 balls
- Shubman Gill- 31 off 50 balls
The middle order which was led by Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel brough 28 off 62 runs and 29 off 40 runs respectively. It steadied the ship and put the bowlers of New Zealand under the pressure. With just 11 runs needed off the 12 final balls, and with 4 wickets in hand, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja held the nerve. Jadeja was able to seal the deal with his boundary. He finished unbeaten on 15. Rahul on the other hand remained not out with 28 runs, guiding the Indian team to the memorable victory.
India vs New Zealand final: Fightback from New Zealand
Earlier in the day, the Kiwis posted the competitive total of 251/7 in the 50 overs. All thanks to the crucial half-centuries from
- Daryl Mitchell- 63 off 101
- Michael Bracewell- 50 off 42
The Kiwis started strong with Rachin Ravindra getting 37 off 34 and Will Young 15 off 20. It provided a solid opening stand. However, the spinners of India, which was led by Varun Chakaravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) applied brakes in middle overs. It restricted the scoring rate of the New Zealand team.
Despite the team losing wickets at the regular intervals, they were able to cross the mark of 250, all thanks to the late flourish of Bracewell. Mitchell Santner run out in the final over, courtesy of the brilliant fielding by Virat Kohli, it ensured that the NZ team couldn’t further accelerate.
India vs New Zealand final: Key Performances
- Rohit Sharma- the captain set the stage on fire. He made 76 runs that included 8 fours and 3 sixes. The aggressive approach he showed in the powerplay was able to lay down the foundation for the chase made by the Indian team.
- Shreyas Iyer- middle-order batsman did give a crucial knock of 48. He stabilized the innings after early wickets.
- Varun Chakaravarthy- the mystery spinner was the standout bowler for India. He picked up 2 key wickets while maintaining the tight lines, all throughout the spell.
- Michael Bracewell- the all-rounder of New Zealand played an important role with both the ball and the bat. He scored a half-century and took a wicket.
Ind vs NZ final: Indian team road to the Final
The journey of India to the finals was nothing short of being dominant. The team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, starting with the comprehensive win they had against the Bangladesh team. The high-octane clash against the Pakistanis showed the century of Virat Kohli, guiding India towards the success. While the 44-run win over New Zealand in the group stage showed the team’s all-round strength. In the semi-final, India was able to overcome the Australian team, with Kohli again playing the match-winning knock.
Ind vs NZ final: Consistent campaign by New Zealand
Known for their consistency in the ICC tournaments, New Zealand had a strong campaign too. They started with the win against Pakistan’s team and then followed it up with the victory over Bangladesh. Despite the loss to the Indian team in the group stage, the Kiwis were able to bounce back after defeating the South Africans in the semi-finals. It led to a rematch with India in the final.
Ind vs NZ final: Toss and Selection of Team
The New Zealand team won the toss and then chose to bat first. The decision was quite justified considering the conditions of the pitch. The Indian team on the other hand fielded as the unchanged XI, while NZ made the forced change, as Nathan Smith replaced injured Matt Henry.
Ind vs NZ final: Post-Match Reactions
Rohit Sharma was named the Player of the Match for the 76 runs. He praised the composure of the team under the pressure. He said it is not natural for him to play this aggressively but he wanted to set the tone for the team. The support coming from management and also the players was just incredible.
The New Zealand captain, Mitchell Santner acknowledged the superior performance of the Indian team. He said, they got beaten by the better side. It has definitely been a good tournament for them, but they couldn’t get over the line in finals.
Rachin Ravindra got named the Player of the Tournament for the outstanding performances shown by him with both ball and bat. The young all-rounder was able to score 263 runs. He took some crucial wickets and proved to be the vital cog within the campaign of NZ.
India vs New Zealand final: India had a Historic Win
The victory of Indian marks the team’s 5th Champions Trophy title. With it, they were able to cement their status as a dominant team in World Cricket. The win even extended the unbeaten streak of India in the ICC tournaments, having won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and now Champions Trophy 2025.
Ind vs NZ final: Indian Batting was the tale of 2 halves
The chase made by India was the story of 2 halves. The 1st half got dominated by the aggressive batting of Rohit Sharma. It saw India race to the 100s in just 17 overs. The innings by Rohit was the masterclass in the power-hitting as he took on NZ bowlers from outset. The partnership he had with Gill was quite crucial as it was what set the platform for middle order.
The 2nd half of the chase was full of flurry of wickets. It brought NZ back into the game. The dismissal of Kohli, Gill and Rohit in quick succession, it did put pressure on the middle order. Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer then steadied the ship with their 50-run partnership. However, their dismissals within latter stages of innings left the Indian team needing 11 runs off 12 balls.
It was here that both KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja showed composure under the pressure. The boundary of Jadeja off penultimate ball of the match, it sealed the team a victory and sealed Indian players and the fans in the wild celebrations.
Ind vs NZ final: Kiwis’ Batting was a Mixed Bag
The bowlers of NZ had a mixed day. While they did manage picking up the wickets at the regular intervals, they weren’t able to maintain pressure on Indian batsmen. Kyle Jamieson was the pick of the bowlers. He finished with the figures of 2/45, that included a crucial wicket of Hardik Pandya. Mitchell Santner on the other hand also bowled well. He took 1/40 in the 10 overs.
However, the bowlers of NZ got let down by fielding as they dropped many key catches, including the crucial chance of dismissing Shreyas Iyer. Such missed opportunities proved to be costly at the end, as India was able to manage chasing down a target without any overs to spare.
Ind vs NZ final: India’s Bowling was the Spin to Win
The bowlers of India put in some disciplined performance. They restricted NZ to 251/7. The spinners particularly were quite outstanding, as both Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav did pick 2 wickets each. The variations of Chakaravarthy and the guide of Kuldeep kept NZ batsmen right in check, while they continued struggling to accelerate within middle overs.
Jadeja too played a crucial role. He finished with figures of 1/30 in the 10 overs. The tight lines and the lengths, they ensured NZ were not able to build significant partnership in middle overs.
India vs New Zealand final: Kiwi’s Batting showed Struggle against Spin
The NZ batsmen found it difficult to score freely against the spinners of India. After the solid start made by Will Young and Rachin Ravindra, the middle order was seen struggling to maintain momentum. 63 runs patient knock was seen by Daryl Mitchell, but it did come at the strike rate of just 62.37. It put the pressure on the lower order.
The later flourish of Michael Bracewell that included the half-century, it did help NZ cross the 250-run mark. But it wasn’t enough to challenge the strong battling lineup of the Indian team.
Ind vs NZ final: Match’s Key Moments
- Blitz of Rohit Sharma- he made an aggressive start and set a tone for the Indian team’s chase. The 41-ball half-century included 3 sizes and 8 fours. It put NZ on the back foot early on.
- Double strike of Varun Chakaravarthy: Chakaravarthy got 2 wickets in middle overs. It included one crucial dismissal of Glenn Phillips and it put brakes on NZ’s innings.
- Crucial knock by Shreyas Iyer: 48 runs by Iyer was quite the vital inning in the match’s context. The partnership he had with Axar Patel steadied the ship after some early wickets.
- Winning Boundary by Ravindra Jadeja: the boundary by Jadeja off penultimate ball of the match, it sealed India, with its victory. It sparked some wild celebrations amid players and also the fans.
Ind vs NZ final: Looking Ahead
With the win India had, the team will now focus to shift to the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2027. The depth of the team, their balance and the ability of the players to perform under the pressure makes them some of the strong contenders for the future ICC tournaments. For NZ, the ICC trophy search continues, but the consistent performance shown by them in the major events ensure that they do remain the force to be reckoned with.
As celebrations continue in the Indian camp, the fans can revel in the team’s glory which has once again proven the mettle on a big stage. Champions Trophy 2025 will always be remembered as the tournament wherein the Indian stars shone brightest, and they culminated in the thrilling final which lived up to the billing.
