India win Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma's men beat Kiwis by 4 wickets

Pure ecstasy. Unmatched drama. A final for the ages. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 reached a breathtaking climax as India edged past New Zealand in a nerve-wracking contest, reclaiming the coveted trophy and exorcising the ghosts of their 2023 World Cup heartbreak.

 

As the fireworks lit up the Dubai sky, Ravindra Jadeja stood tall, arms raised in triumph, blowing a celebratory kiss. Beside him, KL Rahul, arms aloft, soaked in the euphoria of the moment. The Indian dugout erupted in uncontainable joy, with players storming onto the field to lift Jadeja and Rahul, the final heroes of an unforgettable night.

 

 

Rohit’s intent sets the tone 

The chase began with Rohit Sharma making a statement—a resounding pull for six off the second ball of the innings. The Indian skipper was in the zone, igniting hopes with a blazing start. But as the game progressed, momentum swung wildly between the two sides, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. 

 

The final blow: Jadeja seals it in style 

With the pressure mounting and just a few runs to get, Jadeja rose to the occasion. Facing a short-of-length delivery angled in, he rocked back and nailed a pull behind square leg, sealing victory in emphatic fashion. As the ball raced away, Jadeja pointed to the name on his back, a moment of personal triumph in India's collective glory.

 

Redemption and celebration 

The celebrations were raw and emotional. Rohit Sharma and his men flooded the field, hugging, cheering, and letting the victory sink in. This wasn’t just another title—it was redemption, a long-awaited moment of closure after the heartbreak of the 2023 World Cup final.

 

India Inning
254-6 (49 ov) CRR:5.18
Batter		R	B	4s	6s	SR
Rohit Sharma (C)	st T Latham b R Ravindra	76	83	7	3	91.57
Shubman Gill	c G Phillips b M Santner	31	50	0	1	62
Virat Kohli	lbw b MG Bracewell	1	2	0	0	50
Shreyas Iyer	c R Ravindra b M Santner	48	62	2	2	77.42
Axar Patel	c WO Rourke b MG Bracewell	29	40	1	1	72.5
KL Rahul (WK)	Not out	34	33	1	1	103.03
Hardik Pandya	c & b KA Jamieson	18	18	1	1	100
Ravindra Jadeja	Not out	9	6	1	0	150
Extras	8 (b 0, Ib 0, w 8, nb 0, p 0)
Total	254 (6 wkts, 49 Ov)
Yet to Bat	Mohammed Shami,Kuldeep Yadav,Varun Chakravarthy
Bowler	O	M	R	W	WD	ECO
Kyle Jamieson	5	0	24	1	1	4.8
William O'Rourke	7	0	56	0	3	8
Nathan Smith	2	0	22	0	0	11
Mitchell Santner	10	0	46	2	1	4.6
Rachin Ravindra	10	1	47	1	1	4.7
Michael Bracewell	10	1	28	2	0	2.8
Glenn Phillips	5	0	31	0	0	6.2

 

India vs New Zealand final key highlights: New Zealand innings

 

Kuldeep’s magic changes the game 

On a pitch offering significant turn, India’s spin attack—led by a masterful Kuldeep Yadav (2/40)—dictated the tempo of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. However, a resilient fightback from Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101) and Michael Bracewell (53 off 40) ensured New Zealand reached a competitive 251 for 7 on Sunday. 

 

Fiery start, but New Zealand stumble

  New Zealand got off to a scorching start, racing to 69 for 1 in 10 overs, despite losing Will Young to Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) in the sixth over. However, their early momentum was shattered when Kuldeep Yadav entered the attack in the 11th over.

 

With his very first ball, Kuldeep deceived Rachin Ravindra with a perfectly disguised googly, sending his stumps flying and breaking a 57-run opening stand. Ravindra had earlier tormented Hardik Pandya, smashing a six and two consecutive fours, but was lucky to survive on 28, dropped by Mohammed Shami off his own bowling.

 

In the very next over, Kane Williamson, looking to rebuild, perished trying to defend Kuldeep’s sharp delivery—only to offer a simple return catch. Within minutes, New Zealand had slipped to 75 for 3 in 12.2 overs, and the game had turned on its head.

 

Spin strangles the Blackcaps 

From there, India’s four-pronged spin attack squeezed the life out of New Zealand’s innings. For 81 consecutive deliveries, the Blackcaps could not hit a single boundary.

 

The drought was finally broken when Glenn Phillips launched Kuldeep for a towering six over long-off, but that moment of relief was short-lived. The relentless pressure paid off as Chakravarthy struck again, unleashing a 93 kmph googly that breached Phillips’ defence and ended a 57-run fifth-wicket stand.

 

While Kuldeep and Chakravarthy used sharp turn to torment the batters, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja operated with speed and precision, cramping the Kiwis for space. Their contrasting approaches worked wonders, as India’s spinners combined to concede just 144 runs in 38 overs.

 

Mitchell, Bracewell provide a late flourish 

New Zealand’s hopes for a 260-plus total rested on Mitchell’s ability to rotate strike and Bracewell’s aggressive stroke play. Mitchell reached his fifty in 91 balls, manipulating the field with clever singles and twos.

 

A brief late charge arrived in the 46th over, when Mitchell smashed two boundaries off Shami, hinting at a final push. He built a 46-run stand with Bracewell, but Shami had the last laugh, dismissing him when he failed to clear Rohit Sharma at covers.

 

With Mitchell gone, it was Bracewell’s enterprise that carried New Zealand over the 250-run mark. His power hitting ensured the Blackcaps plundered 50 runs in the last five overs, giving their bowlers a fighting total to defend in this high-stakes final.  India vs New Zealand final full scorecard: New Zealand innings 

New Zealand Inning
251-7 (50 ov) CRR:5.02
Batter		R	B	4s	6s	SR
Will Young	lbw b V Chakravarthy	15	23	2	0	65.22
Rachin Ravindra	b K Yadav	37	29	4	1	127.59
Kane Williamson	c & b K Yadav	11	14	1	0	78.57
Daryl Mitchell	c R Sharma b M Shami	63	101	3	0	62.38
Tom Latham (WK)	lbw b R Jadeja	14	30	0	0	46.67
Glenn Phillips	b V Chakravarthy	34	52	2	1	65.38
Michael Bracewell	Not out	53	40	3	2	132.5
Mitchell Santner (C)	runout (KL Rahul / V Kohli)	8	10	0	0	80
Nathan Smith	Not out	0	1	0	0	0
Extras	16 (b 0, Ib 3, w 13, nb 0, p 0)
Total	251 (7 wkts, 50 Ov)
Yet to Bat	Kyle Jamieson,William O'Rourke
Bowler	O	M	R	W	WD	ECO
Mohammed Shami	9	0	74	1	1	8.22
Hardik Pandya	3	0	30	0	3	10
Varun Chakravarthy	10	0	45	2	3	4.5
Kuldeep Yadav	10	0	40	2	1	4
Axar Patel	8	0	29	0	1	3.63
Ravindra Jadeja	10	0	30	1	0	3