Varun Chakaravarthy made history in the Champions Trophy 2025 by becoming only the second Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul on debut. His phenomenal 5/42 in 10 overs played a key role in India’s 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final Group A match at the Dubai International Stadium.
Varun Chakaravarthy Game-Changing Spell
Playing in place of Harshit Rana, Chakaravarthy turned the game in India favor with his match-winning spell. His first breakthrough came in the 12th over, when he bowled Will Young (22 off 35 balls). He then trapped Glenn Phillips LBW (12 off 8 balls) and dismissed Michael Bracewell (2 runs) in quick succession.
He sealed his five-wicket haul in his final over, knocking over Mitchell Santner and getting Matt Henry caught by Virat Kohli. His outstanding performance ensured New Zealand, chasing India’s 249/9, fell short at 205/9 in 50 overs.
Varun Chakravarthy weaved his magic to claim a fantastic five-wicket haul in Dubai 🌟
— ICC (@ICC) March 2, 2025
He wins the @aramco POTM award 🎖️#ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/KdJDexlhwl
Joins an Elite List of Indian Bowlers
Varun Chakaravarthy 5/42 is now the second-best bowling figure by an Indian in Champions Trophy history. He joins the ranks of Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja, who have also taken five-wicket hauls in this prestigious tournament. Shami recently achieved this milestone with 5/53 against Bangladesh.
READ MORE: India Defeats New Zealand by 44 Runs to Top Group A in Champions Trophy 2025
India to Face Australia in Semi-Finals
With this victory, India topped Group A with a perfect record and will now face Australia in the first semi-final on Tuesday (March 4) at the Dubai International Stadium. This high-stakes clash will be a battle between two of the most dominant teams in the tournament.
The second semi-final will see New Zealand take on South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday (March 5). The winners of these matches will meet in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday (March 9) in Dubai.
Match Summary:
- India: 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 38, Matt Henry 5/42)
- New Zealand: 205/9 in 50 overs (Kane Williamson 81, Daryl Mitchell 32, Varun Chakaravarthy 5/42)
- India won by 44 runs
Can India Win the Champions Trophy?
India is now just one step away from the final, and the team is eager to continue its unbeaten streak. Can Rohit Sharma and his squad overcome the Australian challenge and claim the Champions Trophy 2025? Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the high-stakes showdown!
Stay updated for more news on Champions Trophy 2025!
