Spinners Rule – India outclass New Zealand,
Forget the high-scoring thrillers; this was old-school ODI cricket at its finest. India's spinners, led by a resurgent Varun Chakravarthy, wove a web around New Zealand, securing a 44-run victory and topping their group in the Champions Trophy 2025. The win sets up a mouthwatering semi-final clash against Australia on Tuesday.
The match, played on a pitch that offered seam and swing early on before slowing down and offering increasing grip, was a throwback to a time when totals of 250 were considered challenging. India, batting first, posted 249/9, a total that looked gettable, but proved to be more than enough.
India's Performance:
- Batting: Shreyas Iyer top-scored with a patient 79, his slowest fifty, reflecting the challenging conditions. Axar Patel's 42 was a valuable contribution down the order. However, the overall batting performance was somewhat subdued, with the New Zealand bowlers, particularly Matt Henry (5-42), keeping them in check.
- Bowling: This is where India truly shone. Adding Varun Chakravarthy to their already strong spin attack proved to be a masterstroke. Chakravarthy, who had a forgettable outing against Pakistan at the same venue in 2022, returned with a vengeance, claiming a match-winning 5-42. Ravindra Jadeja's dismissal of Tom Latham, lbw on the reverse-sweep, triggered the Kiwi collapse. India's spinners bowled a remarkable 29 overs out of the 30 middle overs, and 37.3 overs in total, claiming nine wickets for just 166 runs. This was a significant improvement after some early tournament struggles.
- Fielding: Excellent fielding to put up constant pressure.
New Zealand's Performance:
- Batting: Kane Williamson played a lone hand, scoring a gritty 81, his slowest score of 80 or more. However, he received minimal support from the other end. The New Zealand batsmen struggled to adapt to the increasing turn and bounce, consistently falling to the Indian spinners.
- Bowling: Matt Henry was the standout bowler, taking 5 wickets for 42.
- Fielding: Was decent.
The absence of significant dew made batting increasingly difficult as the match progressed. New Zealand, needing to chase 250, crumbled under the pressure of the Indian spin attack. The match highlighted the importance of adapting to conditions and the enduring value of quality spin bowling in limited-overs cricket. India's victory confirms their top spot in the group but also sending a strong message to their rivals. Their spinners, particularly Chakravarthy, have found their rhythm, and they look like a formidable force heading into the knockout stages. New Zealand and South Africa now head back to Pakistan for their semi-final clash on Wednesday, their paths diverging after this decisive encounter.
