India managed to post a competitive 249/9 in their allotted 50 overs against New Zealand in the dead-rubber clash of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner‘s decision to bowl first proved spot on as the Kiwi bowlers made early inroads, rattling India’s top order. Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry ran riot, dismissing Shubman Gill (2), Rohit Sharma (15), and Virat Kohli (11) to leave India struggling at 30/3 in 6.4 overs.
A much-needed rescue act came from Shreyas Iyer (79 off 98 balls) and Axar Patel (42 off 61 balls), who put on a crucial 98-run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, Patel’s dismissal in the 30th over to Rachin Ravindra once again put India under pressure.
Iyer, India’s top scorer, stitched a brief 44-run stand with KL Rahul before falling to Will O’Rourke. With wickets tumbling, India slumped to 223/7 in 45.5 overs.
A late counterattack by Hardik Pandya (45 runs off 28 balls) ensured India crossed the 240-run mark, giving their bowlers something to defend.
For New Zealand, Matt Henry was the standout performer with 5/42 in 8 overs, while Jamieson, O’Rourke, Santner, and Ravindra chipped in with a wicket each.
With a 250-run target set, India will now look to defend their total and end their campaign on a high. New Zealand, on the other hand, will aim to chase it down and finish strong.
Can India’s Bowlers Step Up?
With the pitch offering assistance to bowlers early on, India will rely on their bowling attack to challenge New Zealand’s batting lineup. Stay tuned for the second innings as the chase unfolds.
