India confirmed their place in the Champions Trophy semifinal with a commanding 44-run victory over New Zealand, thanks to a sensational bowling performance led by Varun Chakaravarthy. With the match on the line, Chakaravarthy delivered his maiden ODI five-wicket haul, finishing with remarkable figures of 5 for 42. India’s spin department, consisting of Chakaravarthy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel, combined to crush New Zealand’s chase of 249, taking nine wickets for just 156 runs in their allotted 50 overs. The win set up an exciting semifinal clash against Australia, with India sending a strong message to their future opponents.
Varun Chakaravarthy: A Star in the Making
India’s decision to bolster their spin attack in the heat of the Dubai conditions by replacing a pacer with Varun Chakaravarthy proved to be a masterstroke. The Dubai pitch, which had shown signs of grip and turn, was tailor-made for India’s spinners, and they executed their plans flawlessly. Chakaravarthy, who had been impressive in the past, truly announced himself as a world-class ODI bowler with his excellent display. Despite New Zealand’s best efforts to counter the spinners, Chakaravarthy’s variations and control kept them under check.
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His five-wicket haul included crucial dismissals such as Will Young, who was dismissed with a brilliant delivery that forced an inside edge onto the stumps, and Daryl Mitchell, who struggled to get off the mark against the spin attack. While Mitchell has been in excellent form against India in past World Cup encounters, India made sure to nullify his impact on this occasion. In fact, the spinners delivered an exceptional performance as they stuck to tight lines and lengths, never letting New Zealand’s batsmen find the rhythm. Chakaravarthy’s brilliance shone brightly, finishing with 5 for 42 and becoming the hero of the match, with his efforts sealing New Zealand’s fate.
India’s Top Order Faces Early Collapse
While Chakaravarthy and the spin attack were busy dominating the game, the Indian top order had their own troubles to contend with. New Zealand’s fast bowler Matt Henry, who has been a nemesis to India in past World Cup games, was at his best early on. Henry troubled the Indian top order, reducing them to 30 for 3 by the 10th over. His first breakthrough came with Shubman Gill, who was trapped LBW after being beaten by a ball pitched up. The early dismissals didn’t stop there, as Henry then sent Virat Kohli packing, with the Indian batter’s cut shot being caught magnificently by Glenn Phillips at gully. Captain Rohit Sharma, after struggling, mistimed a pull shot to mid-wicket, giving Henry his third wicket in quick succession.
The Indian top order had been severely dented, but their middle-order batting stepped up to rescue the innings. It was a tense situation, reminiscent of India’s famous 2019 World Cup semifinal, where they found themselves in a similar position. On this occasion, the recovery came from Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel, who managed to steady the innings. While it wasn’t easy, both Iyer and Axar showed excellent temperament as they carefully constructed a 98-run partnership. Iyer, continuing his brilliant form against New Zealand, scored 79 runs off 75 balls, while Axar played a crucial knock of 42, frustrating the New Zealand spinners, particularly Michael Bracewell.
Resilient Middle-Order Contributes Crucially
The partnership between Iyer and Axar was vital, but it was far from smooth sailing. At one point, Axar had batted 24 balls for just five runs, showcasing the difficult batting conditions. However, after a slow start, Axar found his rhythm, and his crucial boundaries helped India stabilize. Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, continued to punish anything loose, including three boundaries off a William O’Rourke over, as India’s score passed the 100 mark. Iyer’s consistent ability to counter New Zealand’s attack highlighted his growing confidence and dominance in the middle order.
However, just as India appeared to be recovering, both Iyer and Axar fell in quick succession. Axar was dismissed for 42 after a soft dismissal to short fine-leg, and Iyer was out for a well-made 79 after top-edging a pull shot off a short ball. This collapse left India at 182 for 6, with only a handful of overs remaining in the innings. This left India in a precarious situation, as they could potentially fail to bat out their full 50 overs.
Hardik Pandya and Jadeja Rescue India
At this stage, the lower order was called upon to dig in and extend India’s total. Hardik Pandya, who has been a consistent performer for India in such situations, played an invaluable knock of 45 runs. His experience helped India get past the 200-run mark, and he formed a vital partnership with Ravindra Jadeja. Together, they added 41 runs for the seventh wicket, keeping the scoreboard ticking despite the fall of wickets at the other end.
However, New Zealand wasn’t done yet, and their seamers fought back. Matt Henry, who had bowled superbly to dismantle India’s top order, took his fifth wicket when he dismissed Jadeja, with Williamson pulling off a spectacular catch at backward point. Henry wasn’t finished yet, as he added two more wickets in the final over, leaving India at 249 all out.
New Zealand’s Struggles Against India’s Spin and Aerial Dismissals
New Zealand’s chase of 249 was always going to be challenging, and India’s spinners made sure it never got going. Kane Williamson, the only New Zealand batter who showed any resistance, played a composed knock of 81 from 120 balls. However, even he couldn’t prevent the collapse as New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals. Williamson was fortunate to benefit from three dropped chances, two of them from KL Rahul behind the stumps, but he couldn’t carry his team over the line. As the asking rate increased, Williamson attempted to accelerate but fell to a flighted delivery from Axar Patel, being stumped out. With his departure, New Zealand’s chances of victory evaporated, and India’s spin quartet took charge once more, bringing the game to a swift conclusion.
Conclusion: India March On to Semifinals
India’s clinical performance, led by their spinners, secured them a comprehensive victory. The win also emphasized India’s ability to adapt to varying conditions, with their spinners proving to be the difference. New Zealand, despite a fighting effort from Williamson, were undone by India’s relentless bowling attack. With the 44-run victory, India not only qualified for the semifinals but also sent a stern warning to their next opponent, Australia, who await them in the semifinals. As for New Zealand, their journey in the Champions Trophy ends, as they now head to Lahore to face South Africa.
