Champions Trophy 2024/25, IND vs NZ 12th Match, Group A Match Report, March 02, 2025

Champions Trophy 2024/25, IND vs NZ 12th Match, Group A Match Report, March 02, 2025

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India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs, scoring 249 for 9 with Shreyas Iyer contributing 79 runs and Axar Patel adding 42. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson scored 81, but they managed only 205. Varun Chakravarthy shone with a five-wicket haul, highlighting India’s successful spin attack throughout the match, with spinners bowling 29 of the 30 middle overs. This victory marked India’s sixth consecutive win against New Zealand, advancing them to the semi-finals against Australia. Despite challenging batting conditions due to seam and swing early on, India’s bowlers effectively restricted New Zealand’s scoring, ensuring a dominant performance.

India 249 for 9 (Iyer 79, Axar 42, Henry 5-42) triumphed over New Zealand 205 (Williamson 81, Varun 5-42) by 44 runs

India expertly outmaneuvered New Zealand to secure victory with a total of 249, marking their sixth consecutive win against a team that has often posed challenges for them. They included Varun Chakravarthy alongside the three spinners already in play, and he delivered an impressive performance with a five-wicket haul at the same venue where a lackluster display against Pakistan in 2022 had hindered his international journey.

With the top spot in their group secured, India is set to battle it out against Australia in the semi-final on Tuesday. Meanwhile, New Zealand and South Africa will return to Pakistan for their semi-final match on Wednesday.

The match resembled a classic ODI, with the new ball exhibiting seam and swing during the first innings, followed by a gradual deceleration and increased grip. The lack of significant dew made batting increasingly challenging as the game progressed. Shreyas Iyer recorded his slowest fifty, and Kane Williamson similarly had his slowest innings scoring 80 or more.

Despite some good fortune and resistance from Williamson, the relentless assault from India’s spinners ultimately took its toll, beginning with Ravindra Jadeja dismissing Tom Latham lbw off a reverse-sweep in the 33rd over. India bowled 29 overs of spin within the 30 middle overs, taking all nine wickets for just 166 runs in a total of 37.3 overs. This performance marked an improvement after their spinners had previously been less effective than the opposition’s in the first two matches, proving that bowling first when the pitch had less grip contributed to their success.

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