India secured a convincing 44-run victory over New Zealand on March 2, 2025, during their final group match of the Champions Trophy held at the Dubai International Stadium. With this victory, India solidified its position at the top of Group A, paving the way for their upcoming semi-final clash against Australia on March 4, 2025.
The match began with New Zealand winning the toss and opting to bowl first, a decision made by captain Mitchell Santner. It initially paid off as India's top order crumbled, leaving them at a precarious 30 runs for three wickets, with early dismissals of opener Shubman Gill (2 runs), Rohit Sharma (15 runs), and star batsman Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for just 11 runs. Kohli, playing his 300th ODI match, had hoped for more but was caught spectacularly by Glenn Phillips off the bowling of Matt Henry.
"Our strategy was to fight back after those early losses," said India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate before the match, highlighting their intent to keep the bowling lineup fresh and fit for the semi-finals.
At this low point, it was Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel who regrouped the innings, crafting a remarkable 98-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Iyer played impressively, notching up his half-century and eventually scoring 79 runs off 98 balls, significantly boosting India’s total. Axar Patel contributed with 42 runs before getting out, but their partnership was pivotal to India setting a target of 249 runs for the Kiwis.
Iyer's innings, though commendable, also came with a unique distinction: it was the slowest fifty for him in the 50-over format, coming off 75 balls, surpassing his previous slowest of 74 balls against West Indies in 2022.
Despite losing wickets regularly, Hardik Pandya added valuable runs down the order, scoring 45 runs, which pushed India’s total to 249 runs before their innings concluded at the end of 50 overs.
Matt Henry was the standout bowler for New Zealand, grabbing five wickets for 42 runs, marking the best bowling performance against India by any bowler in the Champions Trophy history.
Chasing 250, New Zealand began their innings on shaky ground. Following the dismissal of Rachin Ravindra for 6 runs, they found themselves at 49 for 2 after losing Will Young for 22 runs. Daryl Mitchell also fell cheaply for 17 runs, leaving the Kiwis struggling at 93 for 3. Captain Kane Williamson, who was playing resolutely, soon became the only anchor for his side.
Williamson managed to stabilize New Zealand's chase, scoring 81 runs, but he lacked support from the other end. Other notable dismissals included Tom Latham for 14 runs and Michael Bracewell, who managed just 2 runs, ending New Zealand’s innings at 205 runs and handing India the victory.
The Indian bowlers showcased exceptional teamwork, with Varun Chakravarthy taking 5 wickets for 42 runs, also earning him the Player of the Match award for his outstanding performance. Chakravarthy's left-arm spin proved too tricky for the New Zealand batsmen, who struggled against both him and fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who took 2 wickets.
The triumph means India will face Australia in the semi-finals, with high expectations following their stellar performance against New Zealand, where they managed to maintain their strategy and composure through the ups and downs of the match.
Looking forward, discussions among Indian players and coaching staff reflect on the adaptability and resilience demonstrated throughout the group stages. With Australia's capabilities being thoroughly analyzed, the team is poised for another challenge as they aim for the Champions Trophy title. Coach Ryan ten Doeschate emphasized, "We need to keep our momentum going and stay one step ahead against Australia. Every match is different, and we’re ready to adapt our strategies accordingly."
Fans around the world eagerly anticipate the semi-final clash, with India boasting confidence and the Kiwis left to reflect on what went wrong during this pivotal match. The cricketing fraternity is abuzz with predictions and analyses, emphasizing the significance of performances from star players like Iyer, Kohli, and Chakravarthy as India aims to secure its path to the final).