India Shines Over New Zealand in Simple Win
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs in an exciting ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match on Sunday, March 2.
India Beats New Zealand by 44 Runs in Champions Trophy Clash
The game took place at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India claimed the top spot in Group A. Both teams had already made it to the semifinals, but this win gave India a big lift.
Here’s the detailed scoreboard:
| Team | Score | Top Batsmen | Top Bowlers |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 249/9 (50) | Shreyas Iyer: 79 (98) | Varun Chakravarthy: 5/42 (10) |
| Hardik Pandya: 45 (45) | Kuldeep Yadav: 2/56 (9.3) | ||
| Axar Patel: 42 (61) | Hardik Pandya: 1/22 (4) | ||
| New Zealand | 205 (45.3) | Kane Williamson: 81 (120) | Matt Henry: 5/42 (8) |
| Mitchell Santner: 28 (31) | Kyle Jamieson: 1/31 (8) | ||
| Will Young: 22 (35) | Rachin Ravindra: 1/31 (6) |
India batted first after New Zealand won the toss and chose to field. Shreyas Iyer scored 79 runs, helping India reach 249 for 9 in 50 overs. New Zealand’s Matt Henry took 5 wickets to keep India’s total down. But India’s spinners stole the show. Varun Chakravarthy grabbed 5 wickets, and New Zealand was all out for 205 in 45.3 overs.
This was India’s sixth win in a row against New Zealand in ODIs. Their last meeting was in the 2023 World Cup semifinal, where India won by 70 runs. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson made 81 runs, but the spin attack was too strong. “Our spinners were amazing,” said India captain Rohit Sharma. “They stayed calm and got us the victory.”
Both teams now move to the semifinals. India faces Australia in Dubai on March 4. New Zealand plays South Africa in Lahore on March 5. India looks strong, but New Zealand could still surprise everyone.
What’s Next?
India’s win sets them up nicely against Australia. New Zealand will need to rethink their plan for South Africa. The semifinals will show if India keeps winning or if New Zealand fights back.