Varun Chakravarthy’s Five-Wicket Haul Dismantles New Zealand
India registered a commanding 44-run win over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group A clash in Dubai. Varun Chakravarthy’s sensational five-wicket haul (5/42) played a pivotal role in restricting New Zealand to 205, as India defended their total of 249/9 with disciplined bowling and sharp fielding.
India’s Innings: Iyer and Axar Steady the Ship
Batting first, India had a shaky start as openers Rohit Sharma (15) and Shubman Gill (2) departed early. Virat Kohli (11) also failed to make an impact, leaving India struggling at 30/3. However, Shreyas Iyer (79 off 98 balls) and Axar Patel (42 off 61 balls) revived the innings with a solid 98-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Hardik Pandya (45 off 45 balls) added valuable runs in the middle overs, while KL Rahul (23 off 29 balls) provided stability. The lower order, however, couldn’t contribute much, as India finished at 249/9 in 50 overs. New Zealand’s Matt Henry (5/42) was the standout bowler, dismantling India’s batting lineup with his fiery spell.
New Zealand’s Chase: Williamson Fights Alone
New Zealand’s chase began cautiously but was soon derailed by India’s spin attack. Varun Chakravarthy (5/42) was the chief destroyer, removing Will Young (22), Glenn Phillips (12), Michael Bracewell (2), Mitchell Santner (28), and Matt Henry (2) in a clinical display of spin bowling.
Skipper Kane Williamson fought valiantly, scoring 81 off 120 balls, but found little support from the other batters. Daryl Mitchell (17), Tom Latham (14), and Rachin Ravindra (6) failed to anchor the innings, while New Zealand’s lower order crumbled under pressure.
Kuldeep Yadav (2/56) and Axar Patel (1/32) chipped in with crucial wickets, ensuring that New Zealand was bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs.
Key Moments of the Match
- Shreyas Iyer’s crucial 79-run knock guided India to a competitive total.
- Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul ripped through New Zealand’s batting order.
- Kane Williamson’s resilient 81 was not enough to save New Zealand.
- Matt Henry’s brilliant 5/42 kept India in check but lacked support from other bowlers.
Scorecard
India Innings
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | c Young b Jamieson | 15 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 88.24 |
| Shubman Gill | lbw b Henry | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Virat Kohli | c Phillips b Henry | 11 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 78.57 |
| Shreyas Iyer | c Young b ORourke | 79 | 98 | 4 | 2 | 80.61 |
| Axar Patel | c Williamson b Ravindra | 42 | 61 | 3 | 1 | 68.85 |
| KL Rahul | c Latham b Santner | 23 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 79.31 |
| Hardik Pandya | c Ravindra b Henry | 45 | 45 | 4 | 2 | 100.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | c Williamson b Henry | 16 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Mohammed Shami | c Phillips b Henry | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 62.50 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Extras | 10 | |||||
| Total | 9 wickets in 50 overs | 249 | 4.98 RR |
Fall of Wickets:
15-1 (Gill), 22-2 (Rohit), 30-3 (Kohli), 128-4 (Axar), 172-5 (Iyer), 182-6 (Rahul), 223-7 (Jadeja), 246-8 (Pandya), 249-9 (Shami)
New Zealand Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | NB | WD | RPO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Henry | 8 | 0 | 42 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5.25 |
| Kyle Jamieson | 8 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3.88 |
| William ORourke | 9 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5.22 |
| Mitchell Santner | 10 | 1 | 41 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4.10 |
| Michael Bracewell | 9 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6.22 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 6 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.17 |
New Zealand Innings
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Young | b Chakravarthy | 22 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 62.86 |
| Rachin Ravindra | c Patel b Pandya | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Kane Williamson | c Rahul b Patel | 81 | 120 | 7 | 0 | 67.50 |
| Daryl Mitchell | lbw b Yadav | 17 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 48.57 |
| Tom Latham | lbw b Jadeja | 14 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 70.00 |
| Glenn Phillips | lbw b Chakravarthy | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Michael Bracewell | lbw b Chakravarthy | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Mitchell Santner | b Chakravarthy | 28 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 90.32 |
| Matt Henry | c Kohli b Chakravarthy | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Kyle Jamieson | not out | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 225.00 |
| William ORourke | b Yadav | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Extras | 11 | |||||
| Total | 10 wickets in 45.3 overs | 205 | 4.51 RR |
Fall of Wickets:
17-1 (Ravindra), 49-2 (Young), 93-3 (Mitchell), 133-4 (Latham), 151-5 (Phillips), 159-6 (Bracewell), 169-7 (Williamson), 195-8 (Santner), 196-9 (Henry), 205-10 (ORourke)
India Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | NB | WD | RPO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Shami | 4 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.75 |
| Hardik Pandya | 4 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.50 |
| Axar Patel | 10 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.20 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 10 | 0 | 42 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4.20 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 9.3 | 0 | 56 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5.89 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 8 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.50 |
Result
India won by 44 runs
Images courtesy – Official X handles of BCCI and ICC.
