The Champions Trophy 2025 match between India and New Zealand witnessed an impressive performance from Varun Chakravarthy. The mystery spinner was instrumental in India’s 44-run victory over New Zealand, taking five wickets and restricting them despite India’s modest target of 250. However, a fielding mishap by Chakravarthy became a talking point when he failed to stop a ball, resulting in four runs for the opposition.
The incident occurred during the third over, bowled by Hardik Pandya to Will Young. Young directed the ball towards mid-on, where Varun attempted a catch. He misjudged the ball, and it deflected off his leg, crossing the boundary. Hardik Pandya was visibly frustrated, hiding his face, while Virat Kohli and other Indian players expressed their shock at the error.
Earlier in the innings, New Zealand’s Matt Henry showcased his bowling prowess by claiming 5 wickets for 42 runs. This was Henry’s third five-wicket haul in the 50-over format, as New Zealand restricted India to 249/9 in their allotted 50 overs. The match was the final Group A game of the 2025 Champions Trophy, held at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. New Zealand’s captain chose to bowl first, capitalizing on the pitch conditions to put pressure on the Indian batting lineup. Shreyas Iyer played a crucial innings of 79, supported by Axar Patel’s solid 42, helping India recover from an initial collapse. Hardik Pandya contributed a run-a-ball 45, ensuring India reached a competitive score against New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack.
Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson exploited the favorable conditions for fast bowlers, challenging the Indian batsmen with seam and swing. Despite Rohit Sharma’s aggressive start against Henry, hitting a four and a six, Henry retaliated by dismissing Shubman Gill lbw for just two runs with an inswinging delivery.
Jamieson joined the attack, removing Rohit Sharma, who mistimed a pull shot and was caught at midwicket for 15. Virat Kohli, playing his 300th ODI, began with a couple of risky boundaries before being dismissed for 11. Kohli edged a cut shot off Henry, and Glenn Phillips took an outstanding diving catch at backward point, leaving the Indian team at 37/3 in the first powerplay.
New Zealand’s spinners found significant turn, and India struggled to score boundaries, going 51 balls without one until Axar swept Mitchell Santner in the 16th over. Subsequently, Shreyas Iyer attacked William O’Rourke, hitting three fours.
Iyer continued his strong performance, reaching his 22nd ODI fifty in 75 balls. Axar also targeted Michael Bracewell’s off-spin, hitting him for two fours and a six. Their 98-run partnership ended when Axar, attempting to pull a delivery from Rachin Ravindra, top-edged the ball and was caught at backward square leg for 42.
KL Rahul began his innings with a four off Ravindra. Iyer then accelerated, hitting sixes off both Ravindra and O’Rourke. However, in the 37th over, Iyer was dismissed for 79, pulling a short ball from O’Rourke to short mid-wicket.
Three overs later, Rahul was out for 23, edging a delivery from Santner to Tom Latham behind the stumps. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja initiated the final overs with boundaries against Bracewell and O’Rourke. Hardik continued his aggressive play, hitting a strong boundary off Henry.
Henry later dismissed Jadeja, caught by Kane Williamson at backward point. New Zealand’s accurate bowling kept Hardik relatively quiet until the 49th over, where he hit Jamieson for three consecutive boundaries, taking 15 runs. However, Henry dismissed both Hardik and Mohammed Shami in the final over, completing his five-wicket haul and restricting India to 249.
Brief scores: India 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 45; Matt Henry 5-42) against New Zealand.
