India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy for the third time, defeating New Zealand in the nail-biting final on Sunday night. The victory marks Team India’s seventh ICC title. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played pivotal roles in securing the win, adding to their collection of two ODI World Cups and two T20 World Cups.
The team donned special white blazers during the presentation ceremony, a tradition unique to the ICC Champions Trophy. Let us explore the reason behind this distinctive practice of presenting the winning team with white blazers.
The inaugural ICC Champions Trophy took place in Bangladesh in 1998. However, the iconic white blazer, worn as a mark of respect by each member of the victorious team, was not introduced until the 2009 edition, held in South Africa.
The jacket, unveiled on August 13, 2009, was designed by Mumbai fashion designer Babita M, whose collections were sold in several high-profile outlets. The jacket features high-class Italian wool, combining texture and stripes.
This white jacket, adorned with gold braiding, features the Champions Trophy logo, its outline picked out in gold embroidery. Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler, Wasim Akram, had unveiled the formal suit ahead of the Champions Trophy 2009. In the organiser’s promotional video, he emphasised that the jacket represents a legacy poised to inspire generations to come.
Rohit Sharma led Sunday’s chase with 76 runs off 83 balls, and Lokesh Rahul’s unbeaten 34 helped India cross the finish line on 254-6 in 49 overs to win the Champions Trophy for the third time.
Half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell earlier helped New Zealand, which won the toss and chose to bat first, put on 251-7 in its 50 overs on a slow, two-paced Dubai wicket.
Sharma provided a fiery start to India’s innings, with the India skipper hitting seven fours and three sixes. Hardik Pandya scored a run-a-ball 18, putting on a crucial 38 runs off 36 balls for the sixth wicket with Rahul.
Rohit Sharma was named player of the match.
It was India’s 23rd win in 24 games across the last three men’s ICC events stretching back to 2023 – the only loss coming against Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final. India won the Twenty20 World Cup final against South Africa last year.
