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India’s spin sensation Varun Chakravarthy etched his name in the history books by becoming only the third Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in the Champions Trophy. His match-winning spell against New Zealand helped India secure a 44-run victory and cement their spot in the semi-finals, where they will face Australia.
Varun Chakravarthy secures his first-ever five-wicket haul #INDvsNZ Champions Trophy 2025 pic.twitter.com/G8ZjyWH37p
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Saurabh Khare (@khare_saurabh21) March 2, 2025
Varun Chakravarthy Joins Elite Club
With this achievement, Chakravarthy follows in the footsteps of Ravindra Jadeja (2017) and Mohammed Shami (2025), who previously took five-wicket hauls in the tournament. Interestingly, the 33-year-old spinner wasn’t India’s first-choice pick in the playing XI, with Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel leading the spin attack in the earlier matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, team management decided to bring him in for the crucial clash against New Zealand, a move that proved to be a masterstroke.
India’s Struggles with the Bat
India’s batting lineup endured early setbacks, collapsing to 30/3 in the powerplay. However, Shreyas Iyer (79) and Axar Patel (42) stitched a crucial 98-run partnership, stabilizing the innings. Later, Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 45 helped India post a competitive total of 249 runs in the first innings.
New Zealand’s Response and Varun’s Impactful Spell
New Zealand began their chase on a strong note, with Kane Williamson leading from the front with a resilient 81 runs. However, wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals, thanks to Varun Chakravarthy’s lethal spin attack. He dismissed Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, and Matt Henry, dismantling the Kiwi middle and lower order.
Despite Williamson’s valiant effort, New Zealand fell short by 44 runs, allowing India to top the Group A table. Axar Patel delivered a decisive blow by dismissing Williamson, ensuring India’s dominant finish in the group stage.
India to Face Australia in Semi-Finals
With this emphatic win, India now gears up to face arch-rivals Australia in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy. With Varun Chakravarthy hitting top form, the Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming to continue their winning momentum in the knockout stages.
