Sports

IND Vs NZ, Champions Trophy: Chakravarthy Fifer Takes India To Third Straight Win, Sets Up Semi-Final Against Australia

A superb bowling show, led once again by 'mystery spinner' Varun Chakravarthy, handed India a commanding 44-run win over New Zealand in the last group-stage clash of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai on Sunday (March 2). Chakravarthy fetched a fifer, returning figures of 5/42 in 10 overs as Rohit Sharma's men dismissed the Kiwis for 205 runs in response to India's 250-run target. With that, the semi-final fixtures of the 50-over showpiece were confirmed. India will take on Australia in the first semi-final at the same venue on March 4, while the BlackCaps will meet South Africa in Lahore on March 5.

Champions Trophy: New Zealand vs India
Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's captain Rohit Sharma after they won the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. ( )

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Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
Champions Trophy: New Zealand vs India | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's captain Rohit Sharma plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: NZ vs IND
Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Matt Henry bowls a delivery during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
Champions Trophy: NZ vs IND | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Shubman Gill plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Shreyas Iyer plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Kyle Jamieson ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson prepares to bowl his next delivery during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Axar Patel plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
ICC Champions Trophy: NZ vs IND | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC CT 2025: NZ vs IND
ICC CT 2025: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Shreyas Iyer, left, and batting partner Axar Patel run between the wickets to score during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC CT 2025: IND vs NZ
ICC CT 2025: NA vs IND | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

Few Indian fans watch during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: New Zealand vs India
Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Shreyas Iyer celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
Champions Trophy: New Zealand vs India | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's KL Rahul bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Ravindra Jadeja plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Hardik Pandya plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: NZ vs IND
ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

Indian supporters cheer for their team during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC CT 2025: IND vs NZ
ICC CT 2025: NA vs IND | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Tom Latham, right, interacts with India's Mohammed Shami after Shami is hit by the ball on his shoulder during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: New Zealand vs India
Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra play a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
Champions Trophy: New Zealand vs India | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Will Young plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: NZ vs IND
Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Hardik Pandya, centre, celebrate the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra with his team mates during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
Champions Trophy: NZ vs IND | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Kane Williamson bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Glenn Phillips bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand
ICC Champions Trophy: India vs New Zealand | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Tom Latham plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. ()

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ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Kane Williamson celebrates his fifty runs during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ
ICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZICC Champions Trophy: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

India's Varun Chakravarthy bowls a delivery during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC CT 2025: NA vs IND
ICC CT 2025: IND vs NZ | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's Michael Bracewell plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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ICC CT 2025: IND vs NZ
ICC CT 2025: NA vs IND | Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri

New Zealand's captain Mitch Santner bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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