Champions Trophy Final: India Shines as Kuldeep and Chakaravarthy Break Down New Zealand’s Top Order
The Champions Trophy 2025 final is thrilling at Dubai International Stadium. India is taking on New Zealand and making a comeback with key wickets. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat. They started strong. Then, India’s spin bowlers, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, turned the game around.
Even though Shreyas Iyer dropped a catch, India’s bowlers have risen to the occasion. They’ve made key breakthroughs to stop New Zealand’s strong start.
Varun Chakaravarthy Draws First Blood for India
India needed an early breakthrough, and Varun Chakaravarthy answered the call.
- A full, fired-in delivery at the stumps trapped Will Young plumb in front.
- Umpire Paul Reiffel raised the finger immediately after a loud appeal.
- Young had a brief chat with Rachin Ravindra but chose not to review and walked back.
This was the breakthrough India needed. Chakaravarthy took Harshit Rana’s spot and became Rohit Sharma’s key bowler.
Kuldeep Yadav Strikes with a Stunning Googly
New Zealand was 69/1 after 10 overs. They looked good, with Rachin Ravindra on 37 and Kane Williamson just coming in. But the game took a sharp turn when Rohit Sharma introduced Kuldeep Yadav into the attack.
On his very first delivery, Kuldeep produced a magical googly at 84.6 kmph, which:
- Pitched on a good length and spun sharply
- Beat Ravindra’s inside edge, sneaking through the gap between bat and pad
- Shattered the off and middle stumps, sending the Dubai crowd into a frenzy
Ravindra, who had survived some close calls before, missed the change and had to walk back. This gave India a big advantage.
Williamson Falls to Kuldeep in a Soft Dismissal
Just when New Zealand seemed stable, Kuldeep Yadav struck again. He removed Kane Williamson quickly.
- Full delivery on the stumps at 81 kmph
- Williamson chipped it straight back to Kuldeep, gifting him an easy catch
- A huge wicket for India, as the New Zealand captain’s calm presence was crucial in a high-pressure final
Kane Williamson vs Kuldeep Yadav in ODIs:
- Innings: 6
- Runs: 55
- Balls Faced: 68
- Dismissals: 3
With New Zealand struggling at 75/3, Tom Latham has now joined Daryl Mitchell at the crease. India is in control, but can New Zealand recover?