New Delhi:  Team India continued its dominant run in the Champions Trophy 2025, defeating New Zealand by 44 runs in the final group-stage match. With this victory, India secured the top spot in Group A and confirmed its place in the semifinals.

A Mixed Start

Batting first after losing the toss, India posted 249/8 in 50 overs. However, the start was far from ideal as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were dismissed cheaply. This match was a special occasion for Virat Kohli, marking his 300th ODI appearance, but he could only manage 11 runs before Glenn Phillips took a stunning catch, leaving the crowd in awe.

With India in a difficult position, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel came to the rescue, stitching together a crucial 98-run partnership. Iyer played a composed innings, scoring 79 runs, while Axar contributed a valuable 42 runs. Later, Hardik Pandya’s 45-run knock ensured India reached a competitive total of 249 runs. On the bowling front for New Zealand, Matt Henry was the standout performer, claiming 5 wickets.

Varun Chakravarthy Spins a Web

Chasing a target of 250, New Zealand struggled against India’s disciplined bowling attack. Captain Kane Williamson fought hard, scoring 81 runs, but lacked support from the other end. The Kiwi batters kept losing wickets at regular intervals, failing to build solid partnerships.

The star of the match was Varun Chakravarthy, who delivered a match-winning performance in his Champions Trophy debut. The mystery spinner took 5 wickets, becoming the first Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul on Champions Trophy debut. Alongside him, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav kept things tight, ensuring New Zealand was bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs.

 Faces Australia in Semifinals

With this victory, India finished at the top of Group A, having won all three of its matches. Earlier, India had defeated Bangladesh and Pakistan by 6 wickets each, and now, New Zealand has been handed a 44-run defeat. This was also the first instance in Champions Trophy 2025 where a team batting first won at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. As per the tournament format, the Group A topper faces the second-placed team from Group B in the semifinals. India will now face Australia in the first semifinal on March 4 in Dubai, while New Zealand will take on South Africa in the other semifinal.