India clinched a hard-fought victory over New Zealand, earning a place in the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The match, held at the Dubai International Stadium, was marked by impressive performances from both teams. India, after an early batting collapse, managed to set a challenging target of 249 runs for New Zealand, who ultimately fell short in their chase.
The pivotal moment came when India found itself struggling at 30-3 after the dismissal of star batsman Virat Kohli. Kohli, who had managed only 11 runs, fell victim to a stunning one-handed catch by Glenn Phillips off the bowling of Matt Henry. Henry's exceptional spell saw him claim five wickets for 42 runs in just eight overs, highlighting his impact on the game.
Despite the early setbacks, Shreyas Iyer emerged as the backbone of India's innings. He scored a resilient 79 runs, while Hardik Pandya provided crucial support with a late contribution of 45 runs. Together, they helped steer India to a respectable total of 249-9. The partnership between Iyer and Ishan Kishan, who scored 42 runs, was particularly significant, as it added 98 runs for the fourth wicket and stabilized the innings.
India's spin attack proved formidable in helpful conditions, with Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel leading the charge. Yadav dismissed Mitchell, while Ravindra Jadeja trapped Tom Latham lbw, further tightening India's grip on the match. Chakravarthy, in only his second ODI match, took his first five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5-39. He dismantled New Zealand's top order, cutting short Will Young's innings at 22 with a well-executed googly.
New Zealand faced early challenges in their chase, losing opener Rachin Ravindra to a superb catch by Patel for just six runs. Despite Kane Williamson's resilient knock of 68 runs, he survived two dropped catches at critical junctures during his innings. Williamson was eventually stumped off Axar Patel's bowling after facing 120 balls, marking a turning point in the match.
Ultimately, New Zealand's attempts to reach the target fell short as India's spinners continued to exert pressure. The team's performance throughout the tournament has been commendable, as they topped Group A by winning all three of their group matches.
