In the Champions Trophy 2025 match, India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs despite posting a modest target of 250 runs. Varun Chakravarthy shone with the ball, securing five wickets, but his missed catch, which led to a four, became a viral moment. New Zealand’s seamer Matt Henry excelled with figures of 5-42, helping to restrict India to 249/9 after they struggled early. Shreyas Iyer contributed a vital 79 runs, supported by Hardik Pandya’s 45. Despite challenges, India secured the win in the final Group A match at Dubai International Stadium.
The 2025 Champions Trophy matchup between India and New Zealand showcased Varun Chakravarthy’s incredible skills. The enigmatic spinner claimed five wickets, leading India to a 44-run victory over New Zealand despite setting a modest target of 250 runs. However, a fielding blunder of his became a hot topic online when he failed to stop a ball, resulting in a boundary. This incident occurred during the third over of the match when Hardik Pandya bowled to Will Young. The New Zealander directed the ball towards mid-on where Varun attempted to catch it, but missed and the ball deflected off his leg, crossing the boundary line. Hardik Pandya covered his face in disbelief, while teammates like Virat Kohli looked on in shock.
Varun Chakravarthy kya kar rahe ho.. 4 runs gift.#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/brTiOaDnec
— Amit (@amit25joshi) March 2, 2025
Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja reaction on Varun Chakravarthy miss fielding. pic.twitter.com/cl84xxNviQ
— Vikas Yadav (@VikasYadav66200) March 2, 2025
In the earlier stages of the game, New Zealand’s seamer Matt Henry delivered a standout performance, taking 5 wickets for 42 runs, marking his third five-wicket haul in One Day Internationals. This effort helped restrict India to 249/9 in their 50 overs during the final Group A match of the 2025 Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. New Zealand opted to bowl first, leveraging the assistance of the pitch to keep India in check. Shreyas Iyer played a pivotal role, rescuing India with a commendable 79, supported ably by Axar Patel, who scored a solid 42. Despite the New Zealand bowlers excelling towards the end of the innings, Hardik Pandya’s aggressive 45 off 45 balls helped India achieve a competitive score.
Making the most of the conditions favorable to fast bowlers, Henry and Kyle Jamieson challenged the Indian batsmen with their seam and swing. Rohit Sharma managed to hit four and six off Henry, but the bowler retaliated by trapping Shubman Gill plumb lbw for just two runs with a perfect inswinger.
Jamieson then contributed when Rohit mistimed a pull shot and was caught at midwicket for 15 runs. Virat Kohli began his innings with two slightly fortunate boundaries in his 300th ODI match, but soon after, he cut a delivery from Henry, resulting in a stunning catch by Glenn Phillips at backward point, reducing him to just 11 runs and leaving India at 37/3 after the initial powerplay.
With New Zealand’s spinners exploiting the turning conditions, India struggled and went 51 balls without a boundary until Axar swept Mitchell Santner in the 16th over. Subsequently, Iyer displayed excellent form by hitting William O’Rourke for three boundaries—two pulls and one over extra cover.
Iyer continued to impress, reaching his 22nd ODI fifty in 75 balls, while Axar found success against Michael Bracewell’s off-spin, smashing two boundaries before lofting one over extra covers for six. The promising 98-run partnership ended when Axar, attempting to pull a delivery from Rachin Ravindra, offered a top edge that was caught by backward square leg, sending him back for 42 runs.
KL Rahul got off the mark with a boundary off Ravindra, and Iyer continued to find the gaps, hitting a six against both the spinner and O’Rourke. However, in the 37th over, a short ball led to Iyer’s dismissal as he was caught trying to pull O’Rourke.
Three overs later, Rahul departed for 23 runs after edging a skiddy delivery from Santner to Tom Latham. As the slog overs began, Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja hit Bracewell for a six and a four, respectively, before Pandya pulled O’Rourke for another boundary.
Pandya exhibited his prowess with a striking shot off Henry for four. However, Henry later had Jadeja caught at backward point by Kane Williamson with a remarkable one-handed diving catch. New Zealand’s bowlers maintained their precision, compelling Hardik to remain quiet until he finally broke loose in the 49th over.
Pandya hit back-to-back boundaries off Jamieson, capping the over with a six pulled over long-on to add 15 runs before Henry struck, dismissing both him and Mohammed Shami in the final over, thus achieving a five-wicket haul and leaving India just one run shy of reaching 250.
Brief scores: India 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 45; Matt Henry 5-42) against New Zealand.
With inputs from IANS
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