Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded Team India’s triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy final, as the Men in Blue, headed by Rohit Sharma, defeated New Zealand by four wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
PM Modi took to X, writing, “An exceptional game and an exceptional result! We are proud of our cricket team for bringing home the ICC Champions Trophy. They’ve played brilliantly throughout the tournament. Congratulations to our team for an outstanding all-around performance.”
Captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 76 on Sunday, while Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya all contributed significantly to India’s third Champions Trophy victory over New Zealand, which was won by four wickets.
A chase of 252 appeared to be an easy chore for India on a flat pitch, but a fighting New Zealand scoring regularly made it anything but. After Rohit fell for a spectacular 83-ball 76, India’s chase became more nerve-racking. Despite New Zealand’s spinners’ valiant efforts, the enviable batting depth allowed them to cross the line with an over to spare.
While Iyer made 48 off 62 balls, Rahul remained calm until the end, scoring 34 not out off 33 balls to help India win its third Champions Trophy title after 2002 and 2013, becoming the most successful team in the eight-team tournament’s history in front of a stadium packed with Indian fans.
The victory would also be a welcome relief for the Indian squad and its fervent fans after missing out on the 2023 ODI World Cup on home turf. On a sunny afternoon, all-rounders Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) and Michael Bracewell (53 not out off 40 balls) scored contrasting half-centuries to help New Zealand reach 251/7 in 50 overs.
On a slow field, India’s spinners dominated, taking five wickets in total. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy, both wrist spinners, each took two wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja took one to lay the groundwork for a highly consistent team.
Team India were undefeated throughout the competition.
The Men in Blue overcame Bangladesh in their first match before dominating archrival Pakistan.
Team India also overcame New Zealand in its last league match to finish first, before defeating Australia in the semi-finals.
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