India is currently in excellent form, having concluded the group stage of the Champions Trophy 2025 with an unbeaten record, securing the top position in Group A. In their final Group A match, Rohit Sharma and his team triumphed over New Zealand by 44 runs, ensuring their status as group leaders, with both teams already having advanced to the semi-finals.

This match also marked the Champions Trophy debut of Varun Chakaravarthy, who achieved remarkable success by taking five wickets in just his second ODI. This performance set a new record for the earliest five-wicket haul by an Indian bowler in ODI history, surpassing the previous record held by Stuart Binny, who claimed 6 wickets for 4 runs against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2014 during his third ODI.

India better Pakistan's 21-year-old Champions Trophy record

The run chase on Sunday witnessed New Zealand losing nine wickets to the spin bowlers of India, establishing a new record for the most wickets taken by spinners in a single innings during the Champions Trophy, surpassing Pakistan's previous record of eight against Kenya in 2004.

In addition to Varun's impressive figures of 5/42 in 10 overs, Kuldeep Yadav claimed two wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel each contributed with one dismissal. Pursuing a target of 250 runs, the New Zealand team was dismissed for 205 runs in 45.3 overs, despite a commendable half-century from veteran Kane Williamson, who scored 81 runs.

Earlier, Shreyas Iyer played a pivotal role for India, scoring 79 runs off 98 balls, leading the team to a total of 249/9 in their allotted 50 overs. For New Zealand, pacer Matt Henry achieved a five-wicket haul.

Varun was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance and expressed his satisfaction following the game. In his post-match comments, he admitted to feeling nervous at the beginning due to his limited experience in One Day Internationals. He acknowledged the support he received from senior players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Iyer, and Hardik Pandya, which helped him acclimate to the match.

"Initially, I did feel nervous. I have not participated in many ODI matches for India, but as the game progressed, I became more comfortable. Virat, Rohit, Shreyas, and Hardik were engaging with me, which was beneficial. I learned I would be playing last night. While I was eager to represent my country, I also felt a degree of anxiety. The pitch was not overly conducive to spin, but bowling in the right areas yielded assistance. The collective effort from Kuldeep, Jaddu, Axar, and even the pace bowlers was remarkable," he stated.

Read Also: Kohli’s Frustration, Rohit’s Fury: KL Rahul’s Keeping Errors Cost India Against NZ

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!