Live Report - It's India vs New Zealand for the title

We leave you with a teaser from our report. Well fought New Zealand, congratulations India.

New Zealand defended with all their might against heavy favourites India, but in the end they had just too much quality and depth to end their second straight ICC tournament unbeaten. They now hold two of the four ICC trophies, having lost in the final of the other two. In the last three ICC tournaments alone, India have won 22 of their last 23 completed matches.
On a tired pitch, run-scoring followed similar patterns. Having won a crucial toss – India have lost their last 15 ODI tosses - New Zealand raced away to 69 for 1 in the powerplay but the high-quality spin from India dragged them back. On a pitch offering them the least turn of all matches in Dubai this tournament, they bowled 38 overs between them to concede just 144 runs and take five wickets. Again as they got pace on ball at the death, Michael Bracewell scored 53 off 40 to give himself and his bowling colleagues a target.
India made a similarly breezy start of 64 for 0 in the powerplay, but New Zealand kept clawing their way back despite a 105-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Lacking the mystery of Varun Chakravarthy or the rare left-arm wristspin art of Kuldeep Yadav, New Zealand capitalised on the increased turn – average of 2 degrees in the first innings, 3.4 in the second – and tested India thoroughly. Their spinners bowled 35 overs for 152 runs and five wickets.
Every natter other than Virat Kohli got a start – scores ranged between Rohit’s 76 and Hardik Pandya’s run-a-ball 18 - but none of them completed the job. Their incredible depth, though prevailed as KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja saw them through with one over to spare and four wickets in hand.

In the last three white-ball ICC tournaments, India have won 22 of the last 23 matches they have played. Only one defeat, and that too in the ODI World Cup final. The last two campaigns have been unbeaten triumphs.

They now hold two ICC trophies having lost in the final of the other two.

Ravindra Jadeja hits the final boundary of the Champions Trophy of 2025 to spark wild celebrations. Every batter other than Virat Kohli got a start but none of them completed the job. In the end, the calm KL Rahul and the ever-reliable Ravindra Jadeja were at the wicket when the winnings runs were scored. Again a similar pattern. Spinners: 35 overs, 152 runs, five wickets. Fast bowlers: 14 overs, 102 runs, one wicket.

Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul add 38 in six overs, taking India to the doorsteps of the win, but Kyle Jamieson produces the magic delivery out of nowhere. Steep bounce, gets big on Pandya, and there is an easy return catch for him. India need 11 off 15, four wickets in hand.

Hardik Pandya hits the first ball off Rachin Ravindra's last over for a massive straight six to ease the nerves for India. They need 21 off the last four. Now they will have pace on the ball with three spinners bowled out. New Zealand not gambling with Glenn Phillips.

India need 32 off the last five. So who bowls the3se five overs? Ravindra has one left; he is 9-1-36-1 at the moment, Phillips has plenty; he is 5-0-31-0. Fast bowlers also have plenty left.

New Zealand's comeback started with captain Mitchell Santner tightening the screws and then taking the wicket of Shubman Gill. Now he is done with figures of 10-0-46-2 and with seven overs still left. India need 46 runs with five wickets in hand.

Michael Bracewell is done with wickets bokending a wonderful day of offspin bowling. To go with his 53 off 40 when he batted. Yet he still needs New Zealand to bowl and field out of their skins to win this.

Another set batter fails to complete the job. Michael Bracewell is in his last over, India need under a run a ball, but Axar Patel tries to go over extra cover and ends up getting to close to the ball and miscuing a catch to long-off. He is gone for 29 off 40. India need 49 in 51.

Shreyas Iyer has not completed the job. In a deja vu of the over after the previous drinks break, India have lost a wicket immediately after. Iyer backs away early, then shuffles across, looking to help a flattish delivery from Mitchell Santner over short fine. Well, neither is this ball short enough nor does the pitch have enough pace in it. Rachin Ravindra misjudges the catch initially, but it stays in the air long enoough for him to take this with a drive. KL Rahul walks in with 69 needed off 68.

Possibly for the first time, the ICC seems to be trialling new run-out protocols. The third umpire is quickly just communicating into the earpiece of the on-field umpires the results. Just like they communicate if there has been a no-ball. Seem to be using the quick replay system to rule on run-outs. India need 69 in the last 12 overs. We are taking the last drinks break for the day. Can New Zealand make a game out of this?

This could be the game. Kyle Jamieson, who has tormented India in Test cricket, has dropped a sitter from Shreyas Iyer. A ball after smacking clean a slog-swept 109m six off Glenn Phillips, Iyer goes again, gets too close to the ball, and hits it straight into long-on's lap. Jamieson spills it. This is the easiest of the six catches dropped today. India now need 76 off 78.

Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel are absorbing the pressure right now to slow down New Zealand's charge. They have added 37 off 47. There have been a couple of nervous moments: a touch-and-go six at deep midwicket, a pull just wide of the diving square leg, but the nerves seem to e settling. Just as the asking rate crept towards a run a ball, Iyer pulled Glenn Phillips for four. India now need 93 off 96.

Last eight overs: 19 runs and two wickets. Even though asking rate is still under six, it plays on Rohit Sharma's mind and he tries to hit Rachin Ravndra over long-off for a six. Ravindra bowls smartly, shortens the length, and goes widish outside off. He has missed it comprehensively. India 122 for 3 in 26.1 overs.

Finally, as he pushes a full offbreak to mid-off, Rohit Sharma's strike-rate has fallen before 100. This is an innings the kind he has not played in recent times. Now he has to see India through and not play a high-impact cameo. He was 50 off 41, now he is 76 off 77. He has cut down risks and is accumulating singles. India 121 for 2 in 24 overs. New Zealand are inching closer.

Michael Bracewell keeps New Zealand alive. First ball after the break, nice dip, some turn, and a rare dismissal of a right-hand batter out lbw to over-the-wicket offbreak on the front foot. Virat Kohli is not forward enough, and flicks across the line. The ball just does enough to be hitting in line and also be hitting the leg stump. To go with his runs, Bracewell has taken this massive wicket. Kohli takes one review with him. India 106 for in 19.1.

With nothing going for New Zealand, Glenn Phillips has produced a wicket out of nowhere. Shubman Gill thnks he has hit a four clean over extra cover, but at extra cover is Glenn Phillips. He rises with the ball, gets really high in the air with the jump, sticks one hand out at the right time, for a moment looking like Bumrah in delivery stride, and lands safe with the ball. He is gone for 31 off 50. India 105 for 1 in 18.4

That's 40% of the task done in a third of the overs without losing a wicket. This is increasingly looking like a stroll. New Zealand were 69 for 1 at the end of powerplay, India were 64 for 0. That's where similarities ended. India had much more deception in their spin than New Zealand's steady fingerspin. India also know they need only 250. They have added 36 in seven overs after powerplay.

Rohit Sharma has made it out of the powerplay, and pushes Mitchell Santner for a single to get to fifty off just 41 balls. India 65 for 0 in 10.1 overs. Asking rate in control now. Can New Zealand take quick wickets here?

Daryl Mitchell is in tight at midwicket, flings himself to his right and high as Shubman Gill has cloffed one. Mitchell has actually gone too far and is hit on the wrist. India 45 for 0 in seven overs.

Kane Williamson has sustained a quad strain while batting, and will not take the field. Mark Chapman is his replacement on the field.

Two fours and a six in the first 11 balls he has faced, and Rohit Sharma has taken India to 22 for 0 in just two overs. This is the typical Rohit start seeking to put India so far ahead of the asking rate that they can absorb quiet periods if needed.

A superb 53 off 40 frommMichael Bracewell has given New Zealand a total to bowl at. To put it next to Daryl Mitchell's 63 off 101 will be doing Mitchell dirty as he hardly got to face any pace, which Barcewell got enough.

Pace has gone for 104 runs in just 12 overs. Spinners have conceded just 144 in 38 overs.

India will be the happier of the two sides going into the innings break. Only 2 degrees of average turn today, which suggests this might have been the best of the batting tracks in Dubai so far. Also we saw Mohammed Shami try yorkers and not going into the pitch. That suggests there wasn't much grip from the surface.

Varun Chakravarthy says this one has turned the least of the three matches he has played. His foot is still sore, and he has taken painkillers. "It is a gettable score if we bat well."

With just four runs in his final over, the 47th of the innings, Kuldeep Yadav ends his allotment with figures of 10-0-40-2. The two wickets were the massive ones of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. New Zealand 216 for 6 in 47 overs.

Daryl Mitchell finally gets going with two fours off Mohammed Shami in the 46th over, but then ends up caught at extra cover. This is a slower ball all right, but is right in the slot, a juicy half-volley. Mitchell seems to have played for the turn as he looks to go inside-out, but the ball doesn't grip at all and takes the outer half of the bat for a catch at extra cover. New Zealand 211 for 6 in 45.5. That's Shami's ninth wicket in the tournament.

Another excellent day's work for Varun CHakravarthy, who now limps off the field after injuring his right foot, which he stuck out to stop a hard hit from Daryl Mitchell. His tournament ends at 9 wickets at an average of 14.55 and an economy rate of 4.51. Six of those nine wickets have fallen to balls headed for the stumps. If he has any more role to play in this game tonight, fair to say India will be in trouble.

New Zealand 201 for 5 in 45 overs.

After Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill, now Daryl Mitchell gets the slowest fifty of his career. In 91 balls. This is also the slowest of the tournament. The previous-slowest also came against India: Jaker Ali in 87 balls.

The bowling has been just so accurate that you need to take risks to even manipulate the ball into the gaps. With wickets falling, Mitchell has had to drop anchor. New Zealand 178 for 5 in 42 overs.

Ravindra Jadeja has been superb once again. Just spinning the ball hard, staying on a good length and aiming for the stumps all the time. Especially a big lbw threat for left-hand batters when bowling from around the wicket. He ends the tournament on 41 overs, 179 runs and 5 wickets. He will be hoping he is not required in the chase now. New Zealand 172 for 5 in 40 overs.

He gets a hug from Virat Kohli upon completing his spell. Hmm

People say catches win you matches, but the real deal is creating opportunities. Even the best fielders will drop catches, but what's important is to keep creating false shots. And when you are a mystery spinner whom nobody is picking out of the hand, opportunities will keep coming. In the 38th over, Varun Chakravarthy gets cut twice for two couples, but once he gets the good length, the wrong'un does the job. No time at all for Phillips to play it off the surface. It's 165 for 5.

One thing we have seen in Dubai is that batters have avoided sweeping a lot. In the matches in Pakistan, 8.74% of balls from spinners were swept. In Dubai, the number is down to 7%, and it will come further down because India have hardly swept. The reason is low bounce in Dubai. When there is good bounce in a surface, batters feel more confident sweeping because the bounce can save them from the lbw should they miss.

Another good player of spin falls to spin. A whole 10 overs without a boundary. Tom Latham finally pulls out the sweep and misses a full straight delivery from Ravindra Jadeja. He is trapped right in front, and in a desperate bid he takes away one review with him. Just a choke hold on New Zealand. In 13.2 overs after powerplay, they have conceded just 39 for 3. New Zealand 108 for 4 in 23.2.

Who were the two biggest batters in the New Zealand line-up? Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson.

Who are the two batters out to Kuldeep Yadav in his first two overs? Ravindra and Williamson.

Sensational bowling really. Massive dip on Williamson, who is forced to play a defensive shot well in front of his body. It is like he is looking for the ball. Then it stops a touch, and lobs off the outer half of the bat back to Kuldeep. He doesn't drop it. It is 75 for 3 in 12.2.

Rohit has gone to the fingerspin of Axar Patel at the other end.

This has not been the greatest of tournaments for Kuldeep Yadav in terms of results, but the cpatain has shown faith in him. He wants wickets, and he has gone to his wristspinner. And Kuldeep strikes first ball with a wrong'un. The huge wicket of Rachin Ravindra is taken. Just the perfect length, trapping Ravindra on the crease. would have been lbw if not bowled off the deflection off the pad. India sense the kill here. New Zealand 69 for 2 in 10.1 overs.

All in all, a good powerplay for New Zealand, who have raced away to 69 for 1 barely playing a shot in anger. Varun is 3-0-21-1. Ravindra 37 off 28.

Now the game changes. India go to their second attacking spinner, Kuldeep Yadav.

Varun is brought on early to get a wicket, and he delivers a wicket in his second over. The mystery spin plus natural variation from the pitch is too much for Will Young. This is a full legbreak, drifts in in the air, Young is playing for the turn but the ball pitches and keeps going with the angle. Plumb. New Zealand 58 for 1 in eight overs.

There is a theory doing the rounds, coming originally from former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, that Varun is way way more difficult to play under the flood lights than in natural light. So far, though, he has not been easy to face.

Memories of the semi-final where Mohammed Shami dropped two return catches. Here he has Rachin Ravindra playing early - signs of hold in the pitch - gets both his hands to it, but his hands also block his sight. He is hit on the finger tips, and calls the physio on immediately. He eventually continues bowling. New Zealand 51 for 0 in seven overs.

Often Axar Patel has been India's first-change bowler, but given the quick start for New Zealand, they have asked their likeliest wicket-taker to bowl the sixth over. He starts with five wides, but pulls backs later. This is now the biggest opening stand against India in this tournament. New Zealand 46 for 0 in six overs without frenetic hitting.

After getting used to the pace of the pitch, Rachin Ravindra has pulled and punched short balls from Hardik Pandya for 6, 4 and 4 in the fourth over. New Zealand 26 for 0 in four overs.

Will Young and Rachin Ravindra have got off to a watchful start in the final. One boundary in two overs. Mostly tidy bowling with just a hint of movement for Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya. New Zealand 6 for 0 in two overs.

India have lost all their tosses now with Mitchell Santner calling correctly and deciding to bat first. This is a bone dry surface in the words of Aaron Finch. Even if it doesn't turn, it will get slower and slower. This is the middle pitch on the square. Both boundaries are equidistant. This pitch was used for India vs Pakistan earlier in the tournament.

India say they don't mind chasing because they have chased comfortably at this ground. They reckon the toss is not a big factor here because the new ball moves a little in the afternoon, and then there is no dew.

New Zealand have brought in Nathan Smith as Matt Henry has not made it. India are unchanged.

New Zealand 1 Will Young, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt.), 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Nathan Smith, 11 Will O'Rourke

India 1 Rohit Sharma (capt.), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Axar Patel, 6 KL Rahul (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Just seeing pictures Matt Henry taking fitness test and walking back distraught. A couple of consolatory pats on the back as well. If he misses out, it is a terrible news for this final. He is the leading wicket-taker this tournament.