DUBAI: India posted a total of 249 for 9 against New Zealand in their final group-stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Despite a shaky start, crucial contributions from Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel helped India recover, setting a competitive target for the Black Caps.
Opting to field first after winning the toss, New Zealand made early inroads, reducing India to 30 for 3 within the first seven overs.
Star openers Rohit Sharma (15) and Shubman Gill (2) fell cheaply, while Virat Kohli (11) also departed early, leaving India in a precarious position.
However, a 98-run partnership between Iyer (79) and Patel (42) stabilised the innings before New Zealand regained control with timely breakthroughs.
Hardik Pandya’s late counterattack, scoring 45 off 40 balls, provided India with some much-needed momentum, but Matt Henry’s brilliant bowling performance ensured the total remained under 250.
Henry was the standout bowler for New Zealand, finishing with figures of 5 for 42.
India were 244 for 7 at the end of the 49th over but lost wickets quickly in the final six deliveries.
The last three dismissals included Pandya (49.3 overs), Mohammed Shami (49.6 overs), and Ravindra Jadeja (45.5 overs).
New Zealand’s challenge
Although this match is a dead rubber, with both teams already securing their places in the semi-finals, the outcome will determine the Group A topper.
Both sides have defeated Pakistan and Bangladesh in their previous encounters, ensuring their progression.
Historically, India and New Zealand have faced off 118 times in ODIs, with India winning 60 matches and New Zealand emerging victorious in 50.
In Champions Trophy history, the two teams have met only once, with New Zealand holding the upper hand.
Both teams entered the tournament in strong form. New Zealand came off a tri-nation ODI series win in Pakistan against the hosts and South Africa, while India carried their momentum from a home ODI series victory against England, followed by back-to-back wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh in the group stage.
Indian batters struggle
India found themselves in a tough battle against New Zealand in their final group match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, losing six wickets while attempting to build a competitive total.
After a shaky start, India had reached 128 for 4 in 29 overs, with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel leading the recovery.
However, further setbacks saw them slide to 196 for 6 in 41 overs, struggling against New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack, especially the spinners.
Shreyas Iyer, who had played a crucial knock to steady the innings, eventually fell to a sharp rising delivery after handling the short ball well throughout his stay.
Out of 20 short or short-of-good-length deliveries bowled by the fast bowlers, Iyer scored 21 runs, attacking 10 of them. His dismissal left India at 172 for 5 in 36.2 overs.
KL Rahul also fell cheaply, departing for 23 off 29 balls, further denting India’s hopes of setting a formidable total.
Axar Patel, who had provided valuable depth in the batting lineup, played an important innings of 42 off 61 balls before top-edging a paddle-pull off Rachin Ravindra.
Kane Williamson completed a tricky one-handed catch at short fine leg, reducing India to 128 for 4.
Earlier in the innings, India was in deep trouble at 22 for 3 in 5.1 overs after being put in to bat.
India struggle against New Zealand bowling
India battled to 128 for 4 in 29 overs after a shaky start against New Zealand in their final group match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Shreyas Iyer played a crucial knock, steadying the innings with a well-compiled fifty off 75 balls after India lost their top three batters within the first six overs.
Having been invited to bat first, India suffered a shaky start as New Zealand’s pacers capitalized on the slow pitch.
Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson struck in quick succession, removing Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli cheaply.
Gill fell for 7 off 7 balls after playing a cross-batted shot to a good-length delivery from Henry, missing it completely as the ball struck him on the pads.
Sharma, who looked to counterattack, managed 15 off 17 before mistiming a pull shot off Jamieson, finding the fielder at midwicket.
However, it was Virat Kohli’s dismissal that provided the biggest moment of the match. Playing in his landmark 300th ODI, the Indian great fell for 11 off 14 balls, courtesy of a stunning catch by Glenn Phillips at backward point.
Kohli looked to cut a delivery from Henry but found Phillips diving full stretch to his right, plucking the ball behind his body in spectacular fashion.
Kohli stood in disbelief for a few seconds before walking off as the crowd fell silent. Social media was abuzz with reactions, with one fan calling Phillips “The Superman of the tournament.”
At 22 for 3 in 5.1 overs, India was in deep trouble. However, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel led the recovery, putting together a steadying partnership.
Iyer played some elegant strokes, including three boundaries in a single over off Will O’Rourke—two aerial pulls in front of square and a stylish drive over extra cover.
Axar provided solid support, ensuring India regained momentum after the early setbacks.
An interesting moment occurred on ball 17.2 when Iyer played a shot to the left of Phillips at cover and looked for a quick single.
Phillips, instead of running around the ball, fielded it with his left hand and quickly signaled to the batters that they could take the run, showcasing his sharp awareness.
With the pitch expected to get slower, India will look to build a strong total to challenge New Zealand. The match is crucial in determining the semi-final line-up.
The winner will face Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai, while the losing side will travel to Lahore to take on South Africa. Regardless of today’s result, India is set to play in Dubai due to political tensions preventing them from traveling to Pakistan.
New Zealand, known for their disciplined bowling attack and sharp fielding, have steadily improved in ICC tournaments. Their athleticism was on full display today, with Phillips leading the charge.
India Playing XI
Rohit Sharma (capt.), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Shami.
New Zealand Playing XI
Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt.), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
Flying Phillips ends Kohli’s edgy innings
Virat Kohli is dismissed by Matt Henry. Glenn Philips takes a fantastic catch. Virat Kohli appears to be aware of the slow pitch and is looking to take advantage of the fielding restrictions before scoring becomes harder.He hits one over mid-on for four, then edges another shot over point for another boundary.
Early wickets in Dubai as Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson account for the Indian openers. Watch play LIVE in NZ on @skysportnz 📺 LIVE scoring | https://t.co/meo5Pg0IvQ 📲 #ChampionsTrophy #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/qpQhUBSROl
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 2, 2025
He follows it with a swipe wide of mid-on off the thick inside edge. Finally, when he connects with a powerful cut shot, Glenn Phillips makes a stunning catch, diving to his right at backward point to grab the ball behind his body.
India lose openers
The quicks have had something on offer here, and they have made good use of it. Kyle Jamieson has asked questions with his swing bowling to go with Matt Henry’s seam. When Jamieson goes short as a change-up, Rohit Sharma mis-hits the pull and is caught at midwicket for 15 off 17. India is 22 for 2 in 5.1.
Gill’s dismissal
Gill is dismissed early. It was an ugly shot—he played a length ball on the front foot with a cross-bat and got beaten by quite a margin. There’s significant seam movement from Matt Henry, but this delivery returned and struck him right in front.
It seemed like he was defending, but the replay reveals that he played across the line. India is 15 for 1 in 2.5 overs. This is Henry’s longest delivery of the day, though still on a good length.
New Zealand won the toss and decided to field first against India in ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai on Saturday.
New Zealand Mitchell Santner has won the toss for New Zealand and has chosen to chase, hoping the pitch skids under the lights. They have made one change as Daryl Mitchell will replace Devon Conway.
As the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets closer to its exciting end, New Zealand and India are ready to face each other today (Sunday) at the Dubai International Stadium in their last group match to determine who they will play in the semi-finals.
Pitch and conditions
Dubai has emerged as the most spin-friendly venue among the four hosting the Champions Trophy, with spinners boasting an average of 37.07 and an economy rate of 4.36 on these pitches. This could very well be attributed to the exceptional talent of India’s spin contingent. However, the tracks in Dubai are not the notorious spin havens one might expect; instead, they offer a gentle slowness, with a vast outfield that provides a helping hand to the slower bowlers.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan opted to bat first after winning the toss against India, a decision that aligns with the observation that dew doesn’t significantly influence play during this season.
Throughout the tournament, India’s batting lineup has regained its formidable rhythm, easing earlier worries about the performances of key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rohit has been instrumental in giving explosive starts, while Kohli has shone in pivotal moments, notably scoring a steady century against Pakistan.
New Zealand vs India
On the bowling front, Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar have displayed impressive pace and movement, while Kuldeep Yadav remains a clever spinner capable of changing the course of a match.
On the other hand, New Zealand has steadily improved their performance in ICC tournaments, having successfully defeated both Pakistan and Bangladesh. Their batting strength is evident, with three players scoring centuries across two matches, including critical innings from Tom Latham and Will Young.
However, Kane Williamson’s form remains a concern, as he has only managed two low scores. If he finds his rhythm before the semifinals, New Zealand’s batting could become even more potent.
New Zealand’s athleticism in the field is highlighted by Glenn Phillips, who has made impressive saves and throws throughout the tournament. His all-round contributions have been invaluable. While their pace attack has shown discipline, spin bowlers could play a crucial role against India, with Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell building pressure through their economical deliveries. Together with Phillips’ off-spin, the Kiwis possess the tools to challenge Indian batsmen, who have faced limited spin so far.
Cricket analysts see New Zealand as strong contenders for the trophy, especially since they have had to adapt to various conditions across different venues.
This match marks their final league game after a long journey from Pakistan to Dubai. Both teams have won their last five ODIs, and this matchup is their first one-day clash since the 2023 World Cup semifinal, where India holds a 5-0 advantage. The pivotal question remains: can India maintain their dominance, or will New Zealand rise to the occasion in this thrilling encounter? Excitement builds for what promises to be a captivating showdown in Dubai.
Playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma (capt.), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Shami
Your #TeamIndia to face New Zealand 💪
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/Ba4AY30p5i#NZvIND | #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/JidmjdEU28
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 2, 2025
New Zealand: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt.), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
Bowling first in Dubai after a toss win for Mitch Santner. One change to the XI as Daryl Mitchell returns for Devon Conway. Watch play LIVE in NZ on Sky Sport NZ 📺 LIVE scoring | https://t.co/meo5Pg0IvQ 📲 #ChampionsTrophy #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/3yKvIpLWny
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 2, 2025
According to Cricinfo, the pitch is on to one side so one square boundary is 8m bigger than the other. It added again a dry surface expected to be slow.
