India have defeated New Zealand by four wickets to claim the Champions Trophy title in Dubai on Sunday. Besides a well-made 76 from captain Rohit Sharma, India were also helped by a 48 from Shreyas Iyer and an unbeaten 34 from KL Rahul as they chased down New Zealand’s 252-run target with six balls to spare.
New Zealand opted to bat first but could manage to score just 251. Daryl Mitchell was their top scorer with 63 runs while Michael Bracewell scored an unbeaten half century.
Earlier, New Zealand managed to set India a target of 252 runs as India’s spinners kept things in check. Daryl Mitchell was the Black Caps’ top scorer with 63 runs while Michael Bracewell scored an unbeaten half century to guide the Kiwis past 250-run mark. For India, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav have claimed two wickets each while Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with one wicket each. India had NZ under pressure in the middle overs, with the spinners choking run-flow but Bracewell’s late surge helped the Kiwis score 79 runs in the last 10 overs.
After Rachin got off to a flier, India pulled things back thanks to Varun and Kuldeep, the latter dismissing the key batters in Rachin and Kane Williamson. India were sloppy on the field, though, putting down numerous catches.
Before Holi, Team India painted the cricket world in blue! Remaining unbeaten and conquering the Champions Trophy by defeating New Zealand in the final—what a historic moment! This victory is not just a trophy but a celebration of every Indian’s passion for cricket.
