Champions Trophy: Spinners, Rohit And Rahul Carry Unbeaten India To Third Title Win (2nd Ld)

Champions Trophy: Spinners, Rohit and Rahul carry unbeaten India to third title win (2nd ld) (Image Source: IANS)

Dubai International Stadium: India's spinners called the shots majorly to pick five wickets collectively on a sluggish pitch, while captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 76 and KL Rahul stayed calm to hit an unbeaten 34 to give the Men in Blue their third Champions Trophy triumph with a four-wicket win over New Zealand here on Sunday.

In the final played on a sunny afternoon at the Dubai International Stadium, contrasting half-centuries by all-rounders Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) and Michael Bracewell (53 not out off 40 balls) took New Zealand to 251/7 in their 50 overs. The wrist spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy picked two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja had a scalp to his name.

A chase of 252 looked an easy task for India on a pitch that didn’t offer much turn, as Rohit, who hit seven fours and three sixes in his 83-ball 76, and Shubman Gill had a 105-run opening stand. But a fighting New Zealand striking regular blows meant there was a sudden nervous energy in India’s chase.

But the enviable batting depth, despite New Zealand’s spinners fighting hard, meant India got over the line with an over to spare. While Iyer made 48 off 62 balls, Rahul kept his calm to stay till the end and be 34 not out off 33 balls to ensure India earned their third Champions Trophy title after 2002 and 2013. It’s also India’s second ICC trophy win in 12 months after the T20 World Cup triumph in June last year.

The Dubai triumph now makes India the most successful team in the Champions Trophy’s history, and they accomplished it in front of a stadium majorly filled with Indian fans. This is India's first title in an ICC ODI event in 12 years. The title would also come as a soothing balm for the Indian team and its ardent fans after it missed out on the 2023 ODI World Cup triumph on home soil.

Rohit began the chase in his typical quick fashion by pulling Kyle Jamieson for six before hitting William O’Rourke for a brace of fours. He greeted Nathan Smith with a pre-mediated swing going for six before pulling Jamieson off the back foot for another boundary, even as Shubman Gill was dropped on six by Daryl Mitchell at mid-wicket.

There was no stopping Rohit as he brought up India’s fifty with a mighty six down the ground off Smith, before lap-sweeping and cutting him for two boundaries to bring up his fifty in just 41 balls. Though Santner and Rachin Ravindra kept the openers quiet, they weren’t as crafty in maintaining tight line and length as the Indian spin bowling quartet, thus unable to stop the Indian openers from keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Gill broke the shackles by dancing down the pitch to smash Ravindra over long-on for six before Rohit pulled Santner for another boundary as India reached their hundred in just 17 overs. But after the drinks break, Glenn Phillips leaped to pouch a stunning one-handed catch at extra cover and dismissed Gill for 31 off Santner’s bowling.

Michael Bracewell struck on his very first ball as he got one to turn in from outside the off-stump and go past Virat Kohli’s flick to trap him lbw for just one, as India burnt a review. With the spinners bowling neatly, it meant Rohit and Shreyas Iyer had to cut down on risks against them.

Rohit tried breaking the dot ball pressure by dancing down the pitch for a slog against Ravindra, but he was beaten by the turn and stumped by Tom Latham for 76. Iyer and Axar Patel went about rotating the strike and being patient for India, with the former getting a four and six in between.

Iyer brought up the fifty of his partnership by slog-sweeping Phillips for a 109-m six and was dropped on 44 by Jamieson at long-on on the very next ball. But just after the second drinks break, Iyer went for a pre-mediated pull but was caught by short fine leg running to his left off Santner for 48.

With 69 runs needed off 68 balls, Axar nailed a slog-sweep off Santner for six, while Rahul made room to loft the left-arm spinner for a maximum. But New Zealand kept chipping away as Axar holed out to long-off for 29 in Bracewell’s final over.

With 40 runs needed off 36 balls, Rahul eased the pressure by driving O’Rourke for four, while Hardik Pandya slammed Ravindra down the ground for six. Though Pandya fell for 11 to Jamieson, Jadeja finished off the chase with a pulled boundary and held his hands aloft with delight after making India the Champions Trophy winners, as they also maintained their perfect record of winning ODIs in Dubai.

Previously, Ravindra got going by pulling twice and square-driving Shami once to take two fours and a six in a 16-run fourth over. He then emphatically whipped Shami for four before getting an outside edge running through third man and getting another boundary in succession.

Ravindra received a reprieve when, on 28, Shami shelled a caught and bowled chance. To rub salt in their wounds, Young nailed a pull to the right of mid-on and brought up the fifty of New Zealand’s opening stand in seven overs.

After overturning a caught-behind decision off Chakaravarthy, Ravindra was given another life on 29 when Iyer dropped his catch at deep square leg. India finally had a breakthrough when Chakaravarthy trapped Young plumb lbw for 15, while Kuldeep struck by castling Ravindra with a googly for 37.

Kuldeep came back in his next over to land a body blow on New Zealand by dismissing Williamson, who was caught and bowled for 11. From there, India applied a strong choke via their spin quartet, as no boundary was conceded by them after the 14th over. In a bid to break free, Tom Latham went for a sweep but was trapped lbw by Jadeja for 14.

Phillips broke New Zealand’s boundary drought of 81 balls by smacking Kuldeep for a six. Though India kept things tight, Phillips managed to get two boundaries in between. New Zealand were also helped by some reprieves from the Indian fielders - Mitchell survived on 38 when Rohit put down a tough chance at mid-wicket off Axar’s bowling, while Shubman Gill dropped Phillips’s catch when the batter was on 27.

The 57-run stand was broken by Chakaravarthy, as his googly castled Phillips for 34. Daryl Mitchell marched forward to reach his fifty off 91 balls, the slowest half-century of his career and in this competition. Bracewell got a boundary for New Zealand after 65 balls by sweeping Kuldeep for four before heaving Shami for six.

Mitchell hit Shami for two boundaries before lofting to extra cover and falling for 63. Bracewell heaved Pandya for six, though Santner was run-out for eight while trying to take a second run. Bracewell reached his fifty in 39 balls as New Zealand crossed the 250-mark, though it wasn’t sufficient to stop the Indian juggernaut.

Brief scores:

Mitchell hit Shami for two boundaries before lofting to extra cover and falling for 63. Bracewell heaved Pandya for six, though Santner was run-out for eight while trying to take a second run. Bracewell reached his fifty in 39 balls as New Zealand crossed the 250-mark, though it wasn’t sufficient to stop the Indian juggernaut.

Article Source: IANS