India secured a crucial 44-run victory over New Zealand in the final Group A match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, thanks to a stunning performance by Varun Chakravarthy. The leg-spinner claimed 5 wickets for 42 runs, marking the best bowling figures in the tournament so far.
This victory means India finishes atop Group A and will now face Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday, a re-match of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. New Zealand, on the other hand, will play South Africa in the second semi-final at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
India’s Solid Total Set Up By Shreyas Iyer
Earlier, India posted a total of 249/9 in their 50 overs, with Shreyas Iyer playing a key role, scoring 79 runs. Despite a top-order collapse, Iyer’s resilience, along with support from Axar Patel (42) and Hardik Pandya (45), allowed India to set a competitive total.
New Zealand’s Matt Henry led the bowling attack with a brilliant 5-42, using the conditions to his advantage and keeping India in check throughout the innings.
Chakravarthy’s Magic Spins India To Victory
In response, New Zealand’s chase faltered against India’s spinners. Chakravarthy, making his Champions Trophy debut, took full advantage of the conditions and bowled with excellent pace and variations.
Also Read: Champions Trophy: Henry Picks Five As New Zealand Restrict India To 249/9 Despite Iyer’s 79
He claimed key wickets, including that of Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell. However, the turning point came when New Zealand’s star batter, Kane Williamson, was stumped by KL Rahul for 81 off 120 balls, ending New Zealand’s hopes. Chakravarthy wrapped up the match by dismissing Mitchell Santner, securing his first five-wicket haul in just his second ODI match.
A Tough Chase For New Zealand
New Zealand’s chase was anchored by Williamson, who fought valiantly with a gritty 81, but he lacked support from the rest of the batters. After a couple of early breakthroughs, the Blackcaps managed 44/1 in the first power-play, but India’s spinners tightened the screws.
Chakravarthy got the crucial wicket of Will Young, while Kuldeep Yadav broke a key partnership by dismissing Mitchell for 17. Though Williamson reached a fifty, the wickets continued to fall, and India’s spinners suffocated New Zealand’s batting line-up.
Late Flourish But Not Enough For New Zealand
Despite a few late boundaries from Santner (28) and a defiant 81 from Williamson, New Zealand could not build partnerships. Williamson’s departure signaled the end of their chase, and with Chakaravarthy’s five-wicket haul, India sealed the win. New Zealand was bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs, leaving them 44 runs short.
India’s Early Struggles In Batting
India’s batting innings got off to a rocky start. Rohit Sharma’s early dismissal (15) and the loss of key wickets put the team under pressure. New Zealand’s Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson exploited the conditions with swing and seam, dismissing Shubman Gill (2) and Virat Kohli (11) in quick succession. However, Shreyas Iyer’s composed innings helped India recover from 42/3 to a more respectable total. Iyer’s 79 off 108 balls included several well-timed boundaries, keeping India afloat.
Key Contributions From Axar Patel And Hardik Pandya
Axar Patel’s aggressive 42 helped India build partnerships in the middle overs. His partnership with Iyer was crucial, adding 98 runs before Axar fell. Hardik Pandya provided the late fireworks with a quickfire 45, including a six off O’Rourke and boundaries off Jamieson. Despite a few wickets falling towards the end, India posted 249/9, a challenging total under the conditions.
Brief Scores:
- India: 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 45; Matt Henry 5-42)
- New Zealand: 205 all out in 45.3 overs (Kane Williamson 81, Mitchell Santner 28; Varun Chakravarthy 5-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-56)
India’s victory sets up an exciting semi-final clash against Australia, while New Zealand will regroup and face South Africa in the second semi-final.
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