India countered the ghost of 2023 to win the Champions Trophy 2025, beating New Zealand by four wickets in the final. Billions of hearts were shattered after a crushing defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023 final and that was reminded several times before India played the marquee clash at Dubai International Stadium.

The captain himself was under immense pressure as several media reports claimed that it could be Rohit’s last international game if India failed to clinch the title. In such a scenario, the captain led by example with the bat and helped India become the only team in history to win three Champions Trophies. Rohit also became the first Indian captain to win back-to-back ICC trophies.

Batting first, New Zealand struggled initially as Will Young and Kane Williamson departed early. Rachin Ravindra, who was on song, with the bat in the power-play, too departed soon after that. He departed after scoring 37 runs off 29 balls. Batting at four, Daryl Mitchell once again proved to be a strong pillar. He countered the Indian bowlers well, scoring a half-century under pressure. He wasn’t in a hurry and changed his approach to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Glenn Phillips supported him well, scoring 34 runs before Varun Chakravarthy sent him packing. Nevertheless, his dismissal brought Michael Bracewell to the crease, who played a valuable knock of unbeaten 53 runs off 40 deliveries. Courtesy of their half-centuries, New Zealand posted 251 runs in the first innings. For India, Varun and Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets each.

With the bat, captain Rohit gave a blistering start. He took the pressure and delivered. Even when Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli departed early, Rohit didn’t change gears and made 76 runs off 83 deliveries. Courtesy of his knock, the 37-year-old now surpassed Sachin Tendulkar in the list of most runs scored by an Indian captain in ODI cricket.