Spin quartet keep New Zealand to 251 in CT final

India lost their 15th consecutive toss in ODIs but that did not prevent them from exerting control and keeping New Zealand down to 251 in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, 2025. New Zealand's innings started and ended in a flourish through useful cameos but were largely kept in check by India's spin strength.

Daryl Mitchell fought his way to a 101-ball 63 as he absorbed and tried to revert the pressure exerted by India's spin quartet. The four of them had not only dragged the game back in India's favour after a rapid start in the powerplay but changed the colour of the innings overall on a slow surface sticking to straight lines largely. Early on, it was New Zealand that did all the running thanks to an attacking Rachin Ravindra at the top. The leading run-scorer of the tournament showcased the form he was in with some delectable shots off the pacers. Hardik Pandya was picked up for 16 in an over while Mohammed Shami too was flicked elegantly making Rohit Sharma turn to his spin weapon earlier than at any point previously in the tournament.

Varun Chakaravarthy started with a googly that went for four byes first up but created the chance that India was after with Ravindra top-edging a slog-sweep. But Shreyas Iyer, running across from deep midwicket, could not hold on to the opportunity. Ravindra now had two chances put down in as many overs with Shami failing to latch on to a tough return chance before. But Chakaravarthy still managed to break a 58-run opening stand in that over trapping Will Young plumb LBW while missing a flick. After 10 overs, Ravindra was looking in ominous form hitting 37 off the 69 they had raced to.

But Kuldeep Yadav turned the innings on its head with his first delivery of the game - a wrong 'un that sneaked past Ravindra's dab. He pulled things further towards India in his following over when he deceived Kane Williamson in the air and accepting a simple return-catch. At 75/3, New Zealand were now made to take the foot off the accelerator as they risked a crash and burn. Both Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell went the conservative way even as the boundaries dried up against the spinners. Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel kept the pressure up through the middle overs allowing no freebies even when there was no extravagant turn on offer. The final saw India's spinners being required to bowl more than they did in any game in the tournament, and that they managed to collectively bowl within stump lines for 37% of the time meant that New Zealand's risk-taking always came with a greater threat than usual.

Their 33-run stand off 66 balls contained only one boundary before Latham missed a sweep to be LBW against Jadeja. Mitchell, however, did not deviate from the template that he had for himself and stitched together another dour 57-run stand with Glenn Phillips for the fifth wicket. Both batters were also dropped once each against an uncharacteristically poor day on the field for India's catchers. But Phillips couldn't make the most of it as he was bowled by a googly from Chakaravarthy for 34.

Mitchell, meanwhile, brought up a hard-fought fifty and began to switch gears alongside an adventurous Michael Bracewell. Their 45-run stand powered New Zealand past 200 but just when they were sizing up for a big finish, Mitchell ended up spooning Shami to cover. But Bracewell was able to keep the momentum going with some smart batting against the pacers in the death overs. He brought up his fifty in the final over and dragged New Zealand past the 250-mark with 35 coming in the last three overs bowled by pace.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 251/7 (Daryl Mitchell 63, Michael Bracewell 53*; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-45, Kuldeep Yadav 2-40) vs India