In a sunny afternoon at the Dubai International Stadium, all-rounders Michael Bracewell (unbeaten 53 off 40 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) played crucial roles to guide New Zealand to a fighting 251/7 in their 50 overs.
Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy claimed two wickets apiece, and Ravindra Jadeja also had a crucial breakthrough.
Pursuing 252 on a track that provided minimal turn, India appeared to dominate the game with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill dictating terms by adding 105 for the opening partnership. Rohit, who scored seven fours and three sixes in his well-timed 76 off 83 balls, seemed to have led India to the doorstep with such ease. But a committed New Zealand bowling team kept hitting at periodic intervals, inducing some anxious moments in the chase.
While New Zealand bowlers' constant grit didn't count for anything, India's rich batting depth provided them with an easy win by more than a run. Shreyas Iyer added a useful 48 off 62 balls, and KL Rahul was calm, scoring 34 off 33 balls not out as India won their third Champions Trophy, after their trophies in 2002 and 2013. The win was also India's second ICC trophy within a 12-month period, after their T20 World Cup win in June a year ago.
The victory in Dubai now places India at the pinnacle of Champions Trophy history as the champion team of the event. With their first ICC ODI title in 12 years, the triumph was a moment of vindication for the team and its die-hard fans, especially after missing out on World Cup glory in 2023 on home turf.
Rohit began India's chase in his usual aggressive style by dispatching Kyle Jamieson for a six before hitting the boundary twice off William O'Rourke. He welcomed Nathan Smith with a well-played six and followed it up with a pull off Jamieson for another four. While Gill was fortunate when Daryl Mitchell dropped him on six, Rohit did not relent.
Finding India's fifty with a powerful six over the ground off Smith, Rohit continued his effortless stroke play, including lap sweeps and cuts, to score a half-century in 41 balls. Though New Zealand spinners Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra attempted to build pressure, they lacked the precision displayed by India's own spinners in the first half of the game, which allowed Rohit and Gill to continue scoring.
Gill finally broke free, walking out to hit Ravindra over long-on for six, as Rohit contributed another boundary off Santner. India crossed the 100-run mark in only 17 overs, but the game took a turn post-drinks break when Glenn Phillips pulled off an incredible one-handed catch at extra cover to get Gill out for 31 off Santner's bowling.
Bracewell got off the mark straightaway, getting the better of Indian sensation Virat Kohli lbw for only one as he underread an umpired-turned-ball. India's misery only multiplied after their failed review. While New Zealand's spinners pegged India back with economy lines, Rohit and Iyer decided not to take a lot of chances.
But the building dot-ball pressure saw Rohit taking a gamble against Ravindra, although he misinterpreted the turn and was caught out by Tom Latham for 76. Iyer and Axar Patel later worked on switching strike, and Iyer scored the occasional boundaries.
Iyer reached a key milestone in his partnership with a massive 109-meter slog-sweep off Phillips. Shortly after, he survived a scare when Jamieson dropped him on 44 at long-on. However, just as India seemed to be coasting, Iyer mistimed a pull shot off Santner and was caught at short fine leg for 48.
With 69 to be scored in 68 deliveries, Axar Patel hit Santner for a six, then Rahul hit another maximum over his head off the left-arm spinner. But New Zealand did not give up, as Axar fell for 29, long-off taking it in Bracewell's last over.
With 40 runs still required from the remaining six overs, Rahul relaxed the pressure with a timely boundary off O'Rourke, as Hardik Pandya took Ravindra down the ground for a six. Pandya was caught out for 11 by Jamieson, but Jadeja saw there were no late jitters, winning it for the team with a pull shot to the boundary. He threw his arms up in celebration as India won the Champions Trophy, continuing their unbeaten run in ODIs played in Dubai.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand's innings began well, with Ravindra playing some sharp shots, pulling twice and square-driving Mohammed Shami for two fours and a six in the fourth over. He then whipped another boundary off Shami before taking advantage of a streaky edge past third man.
Ravindra got a slice of good fortune when he was dropped by Shami on 28, a missed caught-and-bowled chance that only compounded India's frustration. To compound their misery, Will Young made the most of the opportunity, pulling strongly past mid-on as New Zealand shot to fifty in seven overs.
Even though he overturned a caught-behind call against Chakaravarthy, Ravindra had another let-off at 29 when Iyer dropped a catch at deep square leg. India eventually got through when Chakaravarthy trapped Young lbw for 15, and then Kuldeep tricked Ravindra with a googly to bowl him for 37.
Kuldeep did it again in his second over, taking a sharp return catch to get Kane Williamson out for 11. India's spinners then asserted their dominance, piling the pressure relentlessly as New Zealand endured 81 balls without a boundary. The tussle remained on as Latham, while trying to sweep Jadeja, was caught lbw for 14.
Phillips finally broke the boundary drought with a massive six over Kuldeep and was able to get a couple of fours to keep New Zealand going. Indian fielders continued to miss more opportunities, as Rohit spilled Mitchell on 38 at mid-wicket and Gill dropped Phillips' catch on 27.
New Zealand's 57-run stand was broken when Chakaravarthy's googly smashed through Phillips' defense, and he was sent back for 34. Mitchell went to a fighting half-century from 91 deliveries—the slowest of his life and the tournament—before tearing away with boundaries off Shami.
Bracewell supplied the finishing flourish, sweeping Kuldeep for four and hitting a six off Shami. Mitchell contributed two more boundaries but was gone shortly after, hitting a catch to extra cover for 63. Bracewell kept going with the counterattack, heaving Pandya for a six, although Santner was run out for eight while trying a second run.
New Zealand's 50 from Michael Bracewell in 39 balls had them cross the 250-mark, but ultimately proved insufficient in preventing India from winning their way.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 251/7 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 63, Michael Bracewell 53*; Kuldeep Yadav 2/45, Varun Chakaravarthy 2/48)
India: 252/6 in 49 overs (Rohit Sharma 76, Shreyas Iyer 48; Mitchell Santner 2/47, Michael Bracewell 2/39)
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