Former cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly expressed their joy following India's triumph in the Champions Trophy on Sunday, where they secured victory against New Zealand in the final match. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the team maintained an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament, achieving victories over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the group stage, followed by a win against Australia in the semifinal, ultimately delivering a decisive blow to the Kiwis to claim another ICC title. This victory marked India as the first nation to secure three Champions Trophy titles in history, and it was their first 50-over ICC title since the 2013 tournament.

Ganguly, who captained India to its inaugural ICC Champions Trophy win in 2004, praised Rohit's leadership for guiding the team to consecutive ICC titles over the past two years. 

"Superb effort by India... What a performance in world tournaments over the last two years. There is so much depth in the squad. Congratulations to all. Rohit Sharma's captaincy has been marvellous. @bcci," Ganguly remarked on X.

Rohit played a pivotal role in the chase, scoring 76 runs from 83 balls, while KL Rahul contributed an unbeaten 34, enabling India to secure victory at 254-6 in 49 overs, thus clinching the Champions Trophy for the third time.

The legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar expressed his joy following India's remarkable triumph, commending their composure in a high-pressure scenario that led them to success.

"Champions Trophy CHAMPION…. Yeeeeehhhhh…." he posted on X.

“It's bittersweet at the end”: Santner

New Zealand demonstrated exceptional cricketing skills throughout the tournament, securing victories against formidable teams such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and South Africa to advance to the final. However, they faced two defeats during the competition, both at the hands of India.

Mitchell Santner, the captain of New Zealand, shared his reflections on the loss, describing the outcome as "bittersweet."

"It is bittersweet in the end. We faced a strong opponent in the final. At various points in the match, we posed challenges to India, which was encouraging. There were a few critical moments where we allowed the game to slip away from us," Santner remarked to the media, as reported by ICC.

Additionally, Santner praised Rohit Sharma's performance in the crucial match, which placed New Zealand at a disadvantage.

"This tournament has been positive for us – we encountered challenges along the way, but we have developed as a team and played commendable cricket," Santner stated. "We were defeated by a strong side that performed well today. Rohit’s innings was exceptional and put us on the back foot," he concluded.

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