India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets on Sunday (March 9) to win the final of the Champions Trophy 2025. In the title decider played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India rode on captain Rohit Sharma’s 76-run knock to chase down the target of 252 runs in 49 overs for the loss of six wickets.
During his stay at the crease, Rohit faced 83 balls and hammered 7 fours and 3 sixes. The 37-year-old right-handed batter added 105 runs for the first wicket with Shubman Gill (31 runs) in 18.4 overs.
The duo helped India get off to a flying start in the summit clash, but the Kiwis made a superb comeback in the match by dismissing Gill, Virat Kohli (1 run from 2 balls), and Rohit in a span of 17 runs.
While Gill was caught by Glenn Phillips, who once again defied gravity to make an unbelievable flying catch, Kohli was trapped in front of the wickets by Michael Bracewell on the first ball of his spell.
The former India captain opted for a DRS, but it went against him. After losing Gill and Kohli, Rohit tried to build a partnership with Shreyas Iyer (48), but in an attempt to hit a big six against Rachin Ravindra, he lost track of the ball and was stumped by Tom Latham.
It was the highest score by captains in ICC finals
Iyer then added 61 runs for the fourth wicket with Axar Patel (29) but failed to complete his half-century for the second match in a row.
Just when it looked like the game was going down to the wire and it would be tough for India to chase down the target, KL Rahul (34) found an able partner in Hardik Pandya (18), and the duo once again pulled the Men in Blue out of danger.
Ravindra Jadeja (9) scored winning runs (boundary) for India on the last ball of 49th over of the run chase bowled by William ORourke.
The win on Sunday helped India become the most successful team in Champions Trophy history with three titles and Rohit Sharma becomes the fifth captain in the world to win multiple ICC trophies.
Teams to win Champions Trophy title
Captains to win multiple ICC titles
Earlier in the first half, New Zealand failed to make the most of favourable batting conditions after their captain, Mitchell Santner, opted to bat first. The Kiwis made a flying start in the game, thanks to Rachin Ravindra’s explosive 37-run knock from 29 balls, but after spinners were introduced into the attack, the Black Caps lost track.
Varun Chakaravarthy picked the first wicket in the form of Will Young, who made 15, and then on the first ball of his spell, Kuldeep breached Rachin’s defence and shattered his stumps. There were a lot of question marks over Kuldeep’s place in the playing XI in the build-up of the match, but the 30-year-old spinner silenced his critics with his performance on the field.
After removing Rachin, he caught and bowled Kane Williamson on the second ball of his second over. The former New Zealand captain was only able to score 11 runs from 14 balls.
Daryl Mitchell (63) added 33 runs for the fourth wicket with Tom Latham (14) and 57 runs for the fifth wicket with Phillips, but he failed to score runs at a quick pace. The right-handed batter faced 101 balls during his stay at the crease and was only able to score three fours.
After Mitchell’s wicket, all-rounder Bracewell scored 53 runs from just 40 balls in the end overs to take New Zealand’s total past the 250-run mark.
For India, Kuldeep and Chakaravarthy picked up two wickets each for 40 and 45 runs, respectively, in 10 overs, and Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja dismissed one Kiwi batter each.
