Dubai, March 9, 2025 – India etched their name in cricketing history once again, securing back-to-back ICC titles with a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 final at the Dubai International Stadium. This marks India’s third Champions Trophy triumph (second outright win), making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

This victory also makes India only the second team ever to win consecutive ICC titles, after Australia, who achieved the feat with their 2006 Champions Trophy and 2007 ODI World Cup. India had previously lifted the T20 World Cup 2024, and now, with another ICC trophy in their cabinet, they have firmly established their dominance in world cricket.

India’s flawless run in the tournament saw them win all five games, mirroring their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph under MS Dhoni. Impressively, in their last three ICC tournaments, India has lost only one match, including their dominant 10-match winning streak in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Rohit Sharma Leads from the Front with a Captain’s Knock

Chasing 252, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided India with a flying start, putting together a 106-run opening partnership. Gill (31 off 47 balls) was eventually dismissed by a stunning Glenn Phillips catch, which triggered a brief collapse.

• Virat Kohli (0) fell to Michael Bracewell on just his second delivery.
• Rohit Sharma (76 off 83 balls), who had been playing a captain’s knock, was dismissed by Rachin Ravindra, but by then, he had laid the foundation for India’s chase.

With India suddenly three down, the pressure was on. However, Shreyas Iyer (48) and Axar Patel (29) stitched a crucial 62-run stand, bringing India back on track.

New Zealand fought back again:

• Santner dismissed Iyer for 48 to keep the Kiwis in the game.
• Bracewell struck again, removing Axar Patel, creating another tense moment.

However, KL Rahul (34) and Hardik Pandya (18)* steadied the innings with a 38-run stand, taking India within touching distance. Finally, Ravindra Jadeja finished the job in style, hitting the winning runs, sparking euphoric celebrations in the Indian camp.

Spinners Dominate as India Restricts New Zealand to 251/7

Earlier in the day, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first, continuing India’s extraordinary streak of losing tosses—15 ODIs in a row, a statistical improbability of 0.00305%. Rohit Sharma, who has now lost 12 tosses in a row, equaled Brian Lara’s world record for the most consecutive toss losses by a captain.

New Zealand’s innings began aggressively with Rachin Ravindra (37 off 29 balls) and Will Young (24) adding 57 runs in just 47 balls for the first wicket.

However, India’s spinners turned the match around:

• Varun Chakravarthy struck first, breaking the opening stand.
• Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Rachin Ravindra with his very first ball, shifting the momentum in India’s favor.
• Kane Williamson (11) also fell to Kuldeep, leaving New Zealand in trouble.

Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) played a resilient knock, anchoring the innings, but lacked support from the other end.

• Tom Latham (11) was dismissed by Jadeja, further derailing New Zealand’s innings.
• Michael Bracewell (53 off 40 balls) provided a late flourish, pushing the Black Caps to 251/7 in 50 overs.

Bowling Highlights:

• Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) led the attack with brilliant spells.
• Jadeja (1/30) was economical, keeping the pressure on.
• Mohammed Shami had an off day, conceding 74 runs in 9 overs but managed to pick up a wicket.

A Historic Triumph for Indian Cricket

With this win, India has now won seven ICC trophies, becoming the second-most successful team in cricket history, behind only Australia (10 ICC titles).

For Rohit Sharma, this victory cements his legacy as one of India’s most successful captains. He becomes only the second Indian captain after MS Dhoni to win multiple ICC trophies, having led India to both the T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025.

India’s Major ICC Titles:

3x Champions Trophy: 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka), 2013, 2025
2x ODI World Cups: 1983, 2011
2x T20 World Cups: 2007, 2024

This win marks a golden era for Indian cricket, as they continue to dominate the global stage with unmatched consistency.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand: 251/7 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 63, Michael Bracewell 53, Rachin Ravindra 37; Kuldeep Yadav 2/40, Varun Chakravarthy 2/45)
India: 252/6 in 49 overs (Rohit Sharma 76, KL Rahul 34, Shreyas Iyer 48; Trent Boult 2/48, Matt Henry 2/52)

With this emphatic victory, India celebrates a historic moment, solidifying their position as one of the greatest cricketing nations in the world.