India wrapped up their group stage campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy with a 44-run victory over New Zealand in Dubai. Varun Chakaravarthy spearheaded India’s bowling attack, taking five wickets, while Kane Williamson’s fighting 81 for the Black Caps was not enough to chase down the target.
India Sets 250-Run Target Despite Early Wobbles
Batting first after losing the toss, India faced an early collapse as New Zealand’s Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson dismantled the top order. Shubman Gill fell for just two runs, followed by captain Rohit Sharma (15) and Virat Kohli (11), leaving India struggling at 22-3.
However, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel stabilized the innings with crucial knocks, pushing India to a competitive total of 250. Matt Henry was the standout bowler for New Zealand, claiming five wickets.
Chakaravarthy’s Five-Wicket Haul Seals the Win
In response, New Zealand started well with Williamson anchoring the innings with 81 runs. However, they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Varun Chakaravarthy’s exceptional spell dismantled the middle and lower order, ensuring India’s comfortable victory.
With this win, India finished at the top of Group A. Both teams had already secured semi-final berths before the match, with India set to play on March 4 and New Zealand on March 5.
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.
New Zealand’s Perspective
Ahead of the match, Glenn Phillips had expressed confidence in New Zealand’s adaptability despite facing different conditions in Pakistan and Dubai. He emphasized the importance of momentum heading into the semi-finals. However, India’s strong bowling performance proved too much for the Black Caps.
With the group stage concluded, all eyes are now on the semi-finals, where both teams will fight for a spot in the final.
