India Clinches Third Champions Trophy Title with Victory Over New Zealand

New Zealand — India secured another global cricket triumph, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday. This victory marks India’s third Champions Trophy title, reinforcing its dominance in international cricket.

Skipper Rohit Sharma led from the front, scoring a crucial 76 off 83 balls, while Lokesh Rahul’s unbeaten 34 guided India to victory, chasing down 252 with six wickets down in 49 overs.

Earlier, New Zealand, opting to bat first, posted 251-7 in its 50 overs, courtesy of half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell. The slow, two-paced Dubai pitch posed challenges, but New Zealand managed a competitive total.

Sharma, who was named Player of the Match, set the tone early with a blistering start, smashing seven fours and three sixes. His opening stand of 105 with Shubman Gill (31) provided India with a strong foundation. Hardik Pandya’s run-a-ball 18 and a crucial 38-run partnership with Rahul ensured India remained on course.

“We played really good cricket throughout the tournament,” Sharma said. “I wanted to bat aggressively, and having depth in the lineup gave us that freedom.”

This victory extends India’s dominant streak, with 23 wins in its last 24 ICC tournament matches since 2023 – the only blemish being the World Cup final loss to Australia that year. India also won the T20 World Cup against South Africa in 2024.

A Historic Tournament Run

India’s unbeaten campaign saw wins against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the group stage before defeating Australia in the semifinal. All of India’s matches were played in Dubai after the Indian government declined to send its team to official host Pakistan due to security concerns.

New Zealand, meanwhile, secured victories against Pakistan in Karachi and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi before facing India in Dubai. After losing to India, the Black Caps returned to Pakistan, where they beat South Africa in the second semifinal in Lahore.

Sharma’s Explosive Start Sets the Tone

Sharma wasted no time, hitting a six off just the second ball of the innings. He and Gill built a steady opening stand, but New Zealand struck back when Mitchell Santner dismissed Gill, followed by Bracewell trapping Virat Kohli lbw for just one run.

Sharma was eventually stumped off Rachin Ravindra, leaving India at 122-3. Shreyas Iyer’s composed 48 off 62 balls, along with Axar Patel’s 29, kept India in control, adding 61 runs for the fifth wicket.

New Zealand’s fielding brilliance led to Iyer’s dismissal, and Patel followed soon after. With 51 runs needed off 51 balls, Rahul and Pandya navigated cautiously before Rahul sealed the win, with Ravindra Jadeja striking the winning boundary.

New Zealand Reflects on Hard-Fought Final

New Zealand, which won its only Champions Trophy title in 2000 against India, fell short despite a strong performance. Captain Santner acknowledged the team’s effort, saying, “It has been a good tournament. We faced challenges but grew as a group. Rohit’s innings was outstanding and put us on the back foot.”

With this victory, India continues to assert its dominance in world cricket, adding yet another ICC trophy to its illustrious cabinet.