Spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul, delivered a 44-run for India against New Zealand in the final league game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai on Sunday night (March 2).

After being sent into bat, India were restricted to 249/9 in 50 overs. In reply, New Zealand were bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs.

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The win meant India remained undefeated and topped Group A. In the first semifinal on Tuesday (March 4), India face Australia at the same venue.

In the second semifinal on Wednesday, New Zealand will play against South Africa (Group B winners).

NZ batters struggle against spin

Chasing 250 was not a tall order for New Zealand’s capable batting unit but they struggled against India’s spin quartet led by Chakravarthy (5/42). Kane Williamson’s gritty 81 went in vain.

India vs New Zealand match photos

As they have been doing throughout this tournament, the Indian spinners placed efficiency ahead of wizardry, and bowled in a manner suited to the conditions.

Ravindra Jadeja found massive turn off the pitch but the New Zealand batters were done in by the effort from Chakravarthy who relentlessly targeted the stumps.

Spinners took over once Hardik Pandya got rid of Rachin Ravindra early.

Williamson, who was dropped on 17 by stumper KL Rahul off Axar Patel, played a refined innings full of placements and elegance, but there hardly was any support for him from the other end.

3 quick wickets

There was a 44-run alliance between him and Daryl Mitchell for third wicket, but just as it was blooming Kuldeep Yadav trapped the latter in front.

They lost Tom Latham (14), Glenn Phillips (12) and Michael Bracewell (2) in quick succession, however, Williamson remained unruffled by the rumblings.

He used soft hands for deft placement of balls through the gaps, but two lofted cover drives off Jadeja for fours adorned his innings like bright diamonds.

But Axar deceived an on-charge Williamson with a slightly fuller and slanted delivery, and Rahul just had to remove the bails from the stumps.

The dismissal effectively sealed the match in favour of India.

Iyer’s scores fifty, shares 98-run partnership

Earlier, Shreyas Iyer produced a composed fifty under pressure but New Zealand, led by pacer Mark Henry, managed to stifle India to an under-par 249 for nine.

Iyer (79 off 98 balls) shared a well-paced 98 runs alliance with Axar Patel (42 off 61 balls) for the fourth wicket and Hardik Pandya (45 off 45) played a quick-fire innings towards the end to help India survive a top-order meltdown.

Five wickets for Henry

Henry (5/42) was the most successful bowler for New Zealand, who also made an impact with their terrific fielding.

It was a slightly different situation for Iyer as in the last few matches, the top three batters had given him the cushion of runs.

It had enabled him to bat with some degree of freedom in those matches. But here he had to build the innings from the scratch and he did that job with perfection while making fifty off 75 balls with a single off Rachin Ravindra.

Slow pitch in Dubai

The natural flair was on show on occasions as Iyer once lofted pacer Will O’Rourke for a six over long one and Axar gave him excellent company on a rather slow pitch.

But Axar departed against the flow of the game when his attempt to scoop Ravindra over short fine leg ended in the hands of Kane Williamson.

A century was there for the taking for Iyer but a feeble pull off O’Rourke was gobbled by up Young inside the covers.

Rahul demoted again

KL Rahul, who now bats at a rather inexplicable No. 6 slot, looked promising while making 23 off 29 balls that contained a brilliant hit over long-on for a six off Ravindra.

But Tom Latham latched on to a lovely catch behind the stumps off the edge off left-arm spinner and skipper Mitchell Santner, who once again came up with a good spell that contained a series of speed off balls, just over 70 kmph.

Those dismissals hurt India but Hardik, who produced some beefy hits, ensured that India reached the 250-mark.

Before Iyer’s rescue act and Hardik’s fire, India were tottering at 30 for 3 with skipper Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli getting out cheaply.

Rohit started brightly, pulling pacer Mark Henry for a four and six, but perished to pull, skying pacer Kyle Jamieson to Will Young.

However, Henry had his own moments of joy soon as Gill was trapped plumb in front and the vice-captain also burned a review before walking back to the dressing room.

Henry would thank the flying Glenn Phillips for Kohli’s wicket as the Kiwi snatched a rasping square cut out of thin air.

But Shreyas and Axar gave some respite with their gritty partnership.

(With agency inputs)