Kuldeep Yadav turned out to be India's trump card during the Final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against New Zealand. The left-arm wrist-spinner's double blow right after the powerplay brought India back into the game just when it looked the Kiwis were flying high. (Match Blog | Full Coverage | More Cricket News)
New Zealand got off to a great start thanks to Rachin Ravindra's early assault on Indian pacers. The Kiwis flew to the 50-run mark in just the seventh over with Ravindra doing the bulk of scoring.
Varun Chakravarthy then dismissed Will Young in the eighth over to help India get an opening in the all-important final. The dismissal meant the centurion duo of New Zealand's semifinal win over South Africa was now in the middle. India wanted to get both Ravindra and Kane Williamson early.
At the end of the first powerplay, New Zealand were at 69/1 with Williamson and Ravindra in the middle. Kuldeep then came into the attack and clean bowled the dangerous Ravindra on his very first ball.
Williamson was now the big fish India were trying to catch and it did not take Kuldeep long to get the former Kiwi skipper as well. In his second over, Kuldeep beat Williamson in the air and forced the right-hander to lob the ball back to the bowler. Kuldeep took an easy catch to take his second and perhaps the most important wicket for India in the game.
The double blow flattened New Zealand's run rate with Indian spinners controlling the proceedings. At the end of 32 overs, New Zealand had got to 143/4 with Daryl Mitchell playing a slow inning alongside Glenn Phillips who was batting at a brisk pace.
