Team India veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli exchanged a spirited high five after securing a 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final group-stage match of the 2025 Champions Trophy on Sunday (March 2) in Dubai. However, it was a forgettable outing for both with the bat.
After Shubman Gill (2) departed early, Rohit (15) and Kohli (11) showed intent but failed to capitalize on their starts. Shreyas Iyer (79) anchored the innings with a crucial half-century, while Axar Patel (42) and Hardik Pandya (45) provided valuable support, helping India post a competitive total of 249.
Varun Chakravarthy bewildered New Zealand with his mystery spin, claiming a five-wicket haul on his Champions Trophy debut. His stellar performance helped India bowl out the Kiwis for 205 in 45.3 overs, securing a convincing victory.
After the match, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were seen joyfully celebrating the victory with an emotional double high five. You can watch the video here:
https://x.com/ssnoozemode/status/1896234747564867794?s=46
“Finishing on a High Was Crucial” – Rohit Sharma on India’s Win vs NZ in Champions Trophy 2025
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rohit Sharma emphasized the significance of the victory over New Zealand ahead of the knockout stage. India is set to face Australia in the first semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy on Tuesday (March 4) in Dubai.
The 37-year-old stated:
“It was important for us to finish the game on a high. New Zealand were playing really well and it was important to get the result. The Shreyas-Axar partnership was crucial. The total which we got was enough to work it out.”
“We had the confidence, the bowlers stepped up and did the job. Look Varun has got something different so we wanted to try and see what he can offer. We have to think what we want to do in the next game. If he gets it right it’s very difficult to read him.”
About plans for the Australia match, Sharma further continued:
“You want to win possibly every games. You have to correct the mistakes quickly. Australia is gonna be a good game. They have a rich history of playing ICC tournaments well. It will start from ball one. We need to think what we need to do on that particular day.”
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.