In Cricket, Team India etched their name in history, lifting the ICC Champions Trophy for a record third time after a commanding victory over New Zealand by four wickets in the grand finale at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium last night.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium transformed into a sea of blue, with roaring Indian fans illuminating the night. Under the dazzling floodlights, the Men in Blue delivered a performance worthy of champions. The atmosphere reached a feverish pitch as Ravindra Jadeja struck the winning shot, sending the crowd into a frenzy of jubilation. KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 34 runs while Ravindra Jadeja made a crucial contribution of 9 runs at the toe end of the innings. India had previously won the tournament in 2002 and 2013.
Chasing a target of 252 runs in the summit clash, India achieved it with an over to spare. India began their chase aggressively, but New Zealand struck back with disciplined bowling. The pitch remained on the slower side, with the ball gripping and stopping, making stroke play challenging. Skipper Rohit Sharma was declared Player of the Match and New Zealand player Rachin Ravindra was declared Player of the Series. For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell took two wickets each while Kyle Jamieson and Rachin Ravindra claimed a wicket each.
The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a blistering start, stitching together a 105-run partnership for the first wicket. World No. 1 batter Shubman Gill fought hard for his 31 before Glenn Phillips took a stunning catch at extra cover. Soon after, star batter Virat Kohli was trapped LBW by Michael Bracewell for just one run. Rohit, who got off the blocks quickly, registered his first fifty of the championship but was eventually stumped for 76 after New Zealand built pressure with a series of dot balls. The duo of Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer offered resistance after a few tight overs in between. Iyer eventually got out for 48 runs to Rachin Ravindra, trying to keep up with the run rate. While, Axar contributed with the cameo of 29 runs, before falling to Bracewell. Hardik Pandya also contributed with a quickfire 18 before getting out. After that, it was merely a formality as India wrapped up the match in no time, securing a memorable victory.
Earlier, opting to bat in spin-friendly conditions, New Zealand managed to score 251 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs. For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell steadied the innings with a crucial 63-run knock. Towards the end, Michael Bracewell provided a late flourish with a quickfire, unbeaten 51 off 39 deliveries. For India, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav claimed two wickets each.
Earlier, the Black Caps got off to a flying start, but Indian spinners pulled things back by taking wickets at regular intervals. Varun got the breakthrough wicket for Men in Blue, dismissing Will Young, who was given out LBW. Later, Kuldeep struck immediately, taking the crucial wicket of Rachin Ravindra, the tournament’s double-centurion, with a googly on the very first ball of his spell. He then backed it up by dismissing former New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, who was caught and bowled. Ravindra Jadeja joined the party, trapping Tom Latham LBW. Varun then clean-bowled Phillips when New Zealand were looking to up the ante. Mohammed Shami then dismissed Mitchell in the death overs, while New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner was run out while attempting a quick double. However, Bracewell’s power-hitting helped New Zealand push their total past 250.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s key batter, Kane Williamson, remained off the field in the second innings due to a quadriceps strain he suffered while batting.
The triumph marked India’s second ICC trophy in as many years, following their T20 World Cup victory last year, further cementing their dominance on the global stage.
