Dubai: India’s spinners called the shots majorly to pick five wickets collectively on a sluggish pitch, while captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 76 and KL Rahul stayed calm to hit an unbeaten 34 to give the Men in Blue their third Champions Trophy triumph with a four-wicket win over New Zealand here.
In the final played on a sunny afternoon at the Dubai International Stadium, contrasting half-centuries by all-rounders Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) and Michael Bracewell (53 not out off 40 balls) took New Zealand to 251/7 in their 50 overs. The wrist spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy picked two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja had a scalp to his name.
A chase of 252 looked an easy task for India on a pitch that didn’t offer much turn, as Rohit, who hit seven fours and three sixes in his 83-ball 76, and Shubman Gill had a 105-run opening stand. But a fighting New Zealand striking regular blows meant there was a sudden nervous energy in India’s chase.
But the enviable batting depth, despite New Zealand’s spinners fighting hard, meant India got over the line with an over to spare. While Iyer made 48 off 62 balls, Rahul kept his calm to stay till the end and be 34 not out off 33 balls to ensure India earned their third Champions Trophy title after 2002 and 2013. It’s also India’s second ICC trophy win in 12 months after the T20 World Cup triumph in June last year.
The Dubai triumph now makes India the most successful team in the Champions Trophy’s history, and they accomplished it in front of a stadium majorly filled with Indian fans. This is India's first title in an ICC ODI event in 12 years. The title would also come as a soothing balm for the Indian team and its ardent fans after it missed out on the 2023 ODI World Cup triumph on home soil.
Rohit began the chase in his typical quick fashion by pulling Kyle Jamieson for six before hitting William O’Rourke for a brace of fours. He greeted Nathan Smith with a pre-mediated swing going for six before pulling Jamieson off the back foot for another boundary, even as Shubman Gill was dropped on six by Daryl Mitchell at mid-wicket.
Rohit Sharma smashed a match-winning 76 off 83 balls in the final. (Photo courtesy: X@BCCI)
There was no stopping Rohit as he brought up India’s fifty with a mighty six down the ground off Smith, before lap-sweeping and cutting him for two boundaries to bring up his fifty in just 41 balls. Though Santner and Rachin Ravindra kept the openers quiet, they weren’t as crafty in maintaining tight line and length as the Indian spin bowling quartet, thus unable to stop the Indian openers from keeping the scoreboard ticking.
Gill broke the shackles by dancing down the pitch to smash Ravindra over long-on for six before Rohit pulled Santner for another boundary as India reached their hundred in just 17 overs. But after the drinks break, Glenn Phillips leaped to pouch a stunning one-handed catch at extra cover and dismissed Gill for 31 off Santner’s bowling.
Michael Bracewell struck on his very first ball as he got one to turn in from outside the off-stump and go past Virat Kohli’s flick to trap him lbw for just one, as India burnt a review. With the spinners bowling neatly, it meant Rohit and Shreyas Iyer had to cut down on risks against them.
Rohit tried breaking the dot ball pressure by dancing down the pitch for a slog against Ravindra, but he was beaten by the turn and stumped by Tom Latham for 76. Iyer and Axar Patel went about rotating the strike and being patient for India, with the former getting a four and six in between.
Iyer brought up the fifty of his partnership by slog-sweeping Phillips for a 109-m six and was dropped on 44 by Jamieson at long-on on the very next ball. But just after the second drinks break, Iyer went for a pre-mediated pull but was caught by short fine leg running to his left off Santner for 48.
With 69 runs needed off 68 balls, Axar nailed a slog-sweep off Santner for six, while Rahul made room to loft the left-arm spinner for a maximum. But New Zealand kept chipping away as Axar holed out to long-off for 29 in Bracewell’s final over.
Rohit climbs to No. 3, Gill on top in ODI rankingsDubai: After the recently concluded ICC Men’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign, India skipper Rohit Sharma moved up to third place in the ODI batting rankings chart, led by fellow opener Shubman Gill. Rohit, who smashed a match-winning 76 off 83 balls in the final, jumped two places to third. For his impressive performance in the final, Rohit was awarded the Player of the Match trophy. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, who amassed 218 runs in the tournament, remains in the top five (fifth place) following his haul of 218 runs in the tournament. New Zealand’s batters also made notable progress. Daryl Mitchell moves up one place to sixth, while young sensation Rachin Ravindra climbs an impressive 14 spots to 14th. Glenn Phillips also makes a leap, advancing six places to 24th. New Zealand’s skipper Mitchell Santner was one of the standout performers with the ball, taking nine wickets in the tournament, including two in the final. His efforts see him jump six places to No.2 in the ODI bowling rankings, just behind Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana. Fellow Kiwi Michael Bracewell also made a significant gain, moving 10 places up to 18th. India’s spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja saw their rankings improve after their key contributions in India’s unbeaten campaign. Kuldeep, who picked up seven wickets, climbed to No.3, while Jadeja moved up to 10th after claiming five wickets. |
