India beats New Zealand by four wickets to win ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai
On Sunday, November 23, 2025, at the Dubai International Stadium, India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy 2025Dubai title with a nerve-wracking four-wicket win over New Zealand. The victory ended an eight-year drought for India in this tournament — their first Champions Trophy win since 2013 — and made them the first team ever to reach three consecutive finals. With the score tied at 254-6 in the 48.3rd over, Ravindra Jadeja smashed a boundary to seal the deal, sending the Indian camp into wild celebration and silencing a crowd split between loyal Kiwi and Indian fans.
A Final Built on Pressure and Precision
New Zealand, electing to bat first, posted 251-7 in 50 overs on a pitch that favored batsmen early but slowed under the Dubai lights. Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, and Will Young gave their side a flying start with a 57-run opening stand. But India’s spinners, led by Kuldeep Yadav (2-40) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2-45), turned the tide. Daryl Mitchell, who’d scored the slowest fifty of the tournament, fell for 63, caught behind off Mohammed Shami. Only Michael Bracewell (53*) held firm, stitching together a gritty, unbeaten knock under pressure.
India’s chase wasn’t pretty — but it was perfect. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill opened with fire, adding 105 in just 15.4 overs. Sharma, at 37, looked every bit the veteran leader, smashing a 41-ball 76. Then came the collapse. A stunning leaping catch by Glenn Phillips at short cover dismissed Gill for 31. Four balls later, Bracewell trapped Virat Kohli lbw for a duck — the crowd gasped. At 159-4, India’s dream seemed to unravel. But Jadeja, calm as ever, held the middle order together. He didn’t need to hit big. Just one six, one four, and a single off the final over — and it was over.
Redemption After Years of Near-Misses
This wasn’t just another win. It was redemption. India had lost the 2017 final to Pakistan, and since then, New Zealand had dominated them in ICC knockout matches — winning the 2019 World Cup semifinal and the 2021 World Test Championship final. India’s only recent knockout win over them came in the 2023 World Cup semifinal. The narrative was clear: New Zealand had India’s number when it mattered most. But on this night, in Dubai, that changed.
What made this win even more remarkable? India did it without Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, their two premier fast bowlers. Shami carried the pace attack, supported by Harshit Rana, while the spin trio of Kuldeep, Varun, and Jadeja turned the game. It was a team effort — no single superstar, no miracle innings. Just grit, discipline, and execution under pressure.
The Road to the Final: A Tale of Two Teams
India entered the tournament as Group A leaders, winning all three matches — including a 44-run thrashing of New Zealand in Dubai back in March. They beat Bangladesh with Shami’s five-wicket haul and Gill’s century. In the semis, they outlasted defending ODI champions Australia by four wickets in a thriller on November 19.
New Zealand’s journey was more dramatic. They opened with a statement win over Pakistan in Karachi, where Young and Latham both scored centuries. Then came Rachin Ravindra’s 104 against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. Their semifinal against South Africa in Lahore was a masterclass — they bowled out the Proteas for 178 and chased it down with 13 overs to spare. But in the final, their batting depth — usually their strength — cracked under Indian pressure.
What This Means for Global Cricket
India’s win reasserts their dominance in white-ball cricket, especially in ICC tournaments. With three titles now (1998, 2013, 2025), they’re tied with Australia for the most Champions Trophy wins. But more importantly, this victory ends the narrative of India’s ‘finals curse’ — a perception that had grown since 2017.
For New Zealand, it’s another heartbreak. They’ve now lost three ICC finals since 2015 — to Australia in 2015, India in 2023, and now this. Their consistency is admirable, but the final hurdle remains elusive. Coach Gary Stead’s post-match comments were telling: “We gave everything. Sometimes, the better team wins.”
Historical Context: The India-New Zealand Rivalry
Head-to-head, India leads 61-50 in 119 ODIs. But in ICC knockout matches? New Zealand holds a 3-1 edge — until now. The 2000 Champions Trophy final, the 2019 World Cup semifinal, and the 2021 WTC final were all Kiwi wins. India’s 2023 World Cup semifinal win was the first time they’d beaten them in a major final in over two decades.
And then there’s the Wankhede ghost. The Hindustan Times referenced a 2013 match where India posted 397, with Sharma and Gill opening, Kohli hitting his 50th ODI century in front of Sachin Tendulkar, and Shami taking 7-57. That was a different era. This final? It was about new heroes. Jadeja. Sharma. Kuldeep. The torch had passed.
The Champions Trophy 2025 wasn’t just a tournament. It was a generational reset. India didn’t just win a trophy. They rewrote their legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did India manage to win without Bumrah and Siraj?
India’s bowling attack adapted brilliantly. With Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj sidelined, Mohammed Shami led the pace unit, supported by Harshit Rana. But the real story was the spin trio — Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravindra Jadeja — who combined for 5 wickets and kept New Zealand’s scoring rate under control. Their ability to break partnerships in the middle overs turned the game, proving India’s depth beyond their star pacers.
Why was Daryl Mitchell’s 63 considered the slowest fifty of the tournament?
Mitchell’s 63 came off 112 balls — a strike rate of just 56.25 — the slowest in the entire tournament. In a match where the average run rate was 5.7 per over, his innings was unusually cautious. While it kept New Zealand afloat, it also stalled momentum. India’s spinners exploited his low aggression, forcing him into defensive shots that led to key wickets. His patience didn’t pay off in the final, unlike in earlier matches.
What’s the significance of India reaching three straight Champions Trophy finals?
No team in history had ever reached three consecutive Champions Trophy finals before India did in 2017, 2021, and 2025. It shows extraordinary consistency — even when they didn’t win, they were always in the mix. Winning in 2025 turned near-misses into legacy. It also reflects India’s superior depth in limited-overs cricket, with a rotating squad that maintains performance across tournaments.
How does this win compare to India’s 2013 Champions Trophy victory?
In 2013, India won with a dominant batting lineup led by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who were then emerging stars. This time, they won with balance — spin-heavy bowling, veteran leadership, and clutch lower-order hitting. The 2013 team had a clear superstar in Kohli; the 2025 team had no single hero. Instead, it was a collective triumph, proving India’s evolution from star-driven to system-driven cricket.
What’s next for New Zealand after this loss?
New Zealand will likely focus on rebuilding their middle order, which faltered under pressure in three straight finals. Rachin Ravindra and Michael Bracewell showed promise, but they need more consistent contributors beyond Williamson and Young. The team’s future hinges on developing finishers who can handle high-pressure chases. With the 2027 World Cup looming, they’ll need to overcome their knockout curse — or risk being seen as perennial underachievers.
Did the pitch in Dubai favor spinners, and how did India use it?
The Dubai pitch started flat but deteriorated noticeably after 30 overs, turning slower and gripping more. India’s spinners exploited this perfectly. Kuldeep and Varun bowled tight lines, using the turn and variation to induce edges and lbw decisions. Jadeja, as captain, rotated them intelligently, keeping the pressure on. New Zealand’s batsmen, used to faster tracks, struggled to read the spin — especially in the death overs. That’s how India turned a 250-run target into a manageable chase.