On March 9, Rohit Sharma’s India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to win the ICC Champions Trophy for the third time (they shared it with Sri Lanka in 2000). It was a momentous night in Dubai. The Men in Blue won the match with six balls remaining after chasing 252 for win.
After winning the toss, New Zealand decided to bat first and amassed 251/7 in their 50 overs, led by Michael Bracewell’s undefeated 53 and Daryl Mitchell’s 63. Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) each took four wickets for the Blues, preventing the Kiwis from amassing a substantial score. With one wicket apiece, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja contributed, and India’s spin attack controlled the run rate.
Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front as the team responded and got off to a fast start. Their chase was primarily planned by him, who scored 76 off 83 balls with three sixes and seven boundaries. Shreyas Iyer (48) and Axar Patel (29), who lost Shubman Gill (31) and Virat Kohli (1) in quick succession, kept the innings steady. The BlackCaps, however, made consistent breakthroughs to win the game.
KL Rahul (34*) and Hardik Pandya (18) coped well with the pressure, as 61 was required off the final 10 overs. With just 11 runs needed, Pandya was out of the game, but Jadeja (9*) made sure there were no more problems by hitting the decisive boundary to snap India’s 12-year Champions Trophy drought.
Talking Points
1. India won an ICC ODI trophy after almost 12 years
The Men in Blue had a night to remember as they lifted their third ICC Champions Trophy. The side won the T20 World Cup in 2024 but ended their 12-year wait for an ODI Trophy. The last time India won the Champions Trophy in 2013, they had an unbeaten run, which they managed to do in this edition.
2. Rohit Sharma’s leadership forte atop
Rohit Sharma gave India a flying start in the final, smashing a six off Kyle Jamieson’s second delivery. He dominated the opening stand with Shubman Gill, reaching his half-century in 41 balls. His aggressive intent guided India past 50 in just 7.2 overs. However, Rohit’s innings came to an end on 76 off 83 balls when he was stumped off Rachin Ravindra after facing 11 consecutive dot balls. The Indian skipper also became the seventh Indian batter to score 1000 or more runs in ODIs against New Zealand.
3. India’s poor fielding vs New Zealand’s top-notch work
The Men in Blue’s fielding woes cost them dearly in the first innings. While Glenn Phillips’s stunning catch to dismiss Shubman Gill caught the attention, India’s sloppy efforts let them down. Four dropped catches and missed run-out chances cost them the extra runs. Shubman Gill, usually good on the field, dropped a sitter, while Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami fumbled crucial opportunities. Kuldeep Yadav’s poor awareness also hurt India’s chances. In contrast, New Zealand’s sharp fielding, including Phillips, Mark Chapman, and Rachin Ravindra, kept the pressure on Men in Blue.
Who Said What?
Player of the Tournament, Rachin Ravindra, said
Certainly is bitter-sweet. Was a glorious final. The individual accolades are great and playing for a team is great. [What makes you such a great ICC player?] Maybe we get to play on a good wicket. I like playing tournament cricket because you are playing for a goal. Very proud of my past. Have so many people to thank. It would have been nice to have the icing on the cake with the trophy but cricket is a cruel game. All members of the squad have a part to play. There isn’t an established player or a newbie. We go about our business and play like a team.
Player of the Match, Rohit Sharma, said
It is very nice. We played some good cricket though the tournament. To have the result our way is a great feeling. [Aggressive style] Not natural to me, but something I really wanted to do. When you are doing something different, you have to have the backing of the team and management. I spoke to Rahul bhai earlier and now Gauti bhai as well. It is something I really wanted to do. I have played all these years in a different style, and now we are getting the results with this.
We have to understand the nature of the surfaces and I was very clear about how I wanted to execute the first five-six overs. I have gotten out as well earlier, but the execution matters. The depth gives me the freedom and it helps. With Jadeja coming at 8, it gives you the confidence to go hard up front. As long as I am clear in my mind, it is great.
Winning captain, Rohit Sharma, said
I appreciate everyone who came to support us. The crowd has been amazing. Not our home ground but they made it our home ground. Very satisfying win. Right form the beginning our spinners… 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. [KL] A very solid mind, never gets overawed with the pressure around him.
He finished off the game for us. He picks the right shot to play in the pressure situation which allows the rest of the batters to play freely. For eg, Hardik. The overall batsmanship shown by all the batters was special. [On Chakravarthy] He has something different about him. When you are playing on such a pitch, you want to have something like him. He didn’t start but played later and got wickets. Luckily for us, it came to use. 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.
Losing captain, Mitchell Santner, said
It has been a good tournament. We had challenges along the way, but we have grown as a group and played some good cricket. We were beaten by a good side who turned up today. Lot of good stuff from our group, guys stepping up at different times and that’s all you can ask as a captain. It was good bowling. We lost a couple of wickets after the powerplay. Credit to the way their spinners bowled, all four of them, world class. We were 25 under but we had a total, we tried to fight and that’s what we did. He keeps doing it doesn’t he.
The powerplay was the best time to bat, Rohit and Gill cashed in, Rohit’s innings was outstanding and it put us on the back foot, but we knew the game can change quickly and we kept chipping away at the wickets and stayed in the game. We have seen how he steps up in these major events, he has been oustanding with the ball and even GP. He understands his game at such young age and even put the pressure on India early on
India
