ICC Champions Trophy: India Remains Unbeaten, Defeats New Zealand by 44 Runs

Dubai, 2nd March 2025: Team India continued its undefeated run in the Champions Trophy with a 44-run victory over New Zealand on Sunday. With this win, India secured the top spot in Group A and will face Australia in the semi-final on March 4 at the same venue.

Chasing a target of 250 runs, New Zealand was bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs at the Dubai International Stadium. Varun Chakravarthy delivered a match-winning performance, claiming 5 wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav took 2 wickets. Kane Williamson was the top scorer for New Zealand with 81 runs.

Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bowl first, New Zealand restricted India to 249/8 in 50 overs. Shreyas Iyer played a crucial knock of 79 runs, while Matt Henry was the standout bowler for New Zealand with 5 wickets.

India to Face Australia in Semi-Finals

With this result, India finished at the top of Group A and will now face Australia in the semi-finals on March 4. The second semi-final will see South Africa take on New Zealand.

Captains React After the Match

Rohit Sharma (India Captain):

“It was important for us to finish on top. New Zealand is a strong team, and after losing early wickets, the partnership between Axar and Shreyas was crucial. With our quality bowling, we were confident of defending the total. Varun [Chakravarthy] is special—we wanted to see what he can offer, and he delivered. We have some selection decisions to make for the next match, which is a good headache to have. Momentum is key in such tournaments, and we must focus on executing our plans against Australia.”

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain):

“The pitch was slower than expected and offered more spin than our previous matches. Facing four quality Indian spinners was challenging. It was crucial for us to take wickets in the powerplay, but we couldn’t capitalize. Kane’s form is a big positive for us. South Africa is a strong side with four excellent fast bowlers, so the semi-final will be a tough contest.”

Playing XI of Both Teams

India:

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy.

New Zealand:

Mitchell Santner (C), Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (WK), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke.

India will now shift its focus to the high-stakes semi-final against Australia, aiming to maintain its winning streak and book a place in the final.