DUBAI – India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title by defeating New Zealand by 4 wickets in the final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Batting first, New Zealand posted 251/7 in their 50 overs. Daryl Mitchell top-scored with 63 runs, while Michael Bracewell remained unbeaten on 53. Other Kiwi batters struggled to make a big impact — Will Young scored 15, Rachin Ravindra 37, Kane Williamson 11, Tom Latham 14, and Glenn Phillips 34.
For India, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy took 2 wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami grabbed 1 each.
Chasing 252, India’s captain Rohit Sharma led from the front, smashing a quick 76 off 65 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes. He shared a 105-run opening stand with Shubman Gill, who scored 31 off 50 balls before being caught brilliantly by Glenn Phillips.
However, star batter Virat Kohli failed to shine, getting dismissed for just 1 run after facing two balls, falling to Bracewell.
Rohit’s dismissal at 122 gave New Zealand hope, as Tom Latham stumped him off Ravindra’s bowling. Shreyas Iyer played responsibly but fell just short of his fifty, scoring 48 runs before Ravindra struck again.
Axar Patel added 29 runs before being dismissed by Bracewell, while Hardik Pandya scored a quick 18, forming a crucial partnership with KL Rahul to guide India close to victory.
Earlier, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner chose to bat first, hoping to set a big target and put India under pressure. On the other hand, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma aimed to take early wickets and bring the ICC trophy home once again.
Notably, this was India’s fifth appearance in the Champions Trophy final and New Zealand’s third. Both teams had previously won the trophy once each.
India’s triumph adds another ICC title to their collection, sparking celebrations among fans worldwide.
