Dikhyaa Mohanty 
On a slow pitch, India’s spinners dominated the scoring, taking five wickets between them. Rohit Sharma, the captain, led the way with 76, and KL Rahul remained composed to hit an undefeated 34, giving the Men in Blue their third Champions Trophy victory over New Zealand here on Sunday.
In the final played on a sunny afternoon at the Dubai International Stadium, contrasting half-centuries by all-rounders Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) and Michael Bracewell (53 not out off 40 balls) took New Zealand to 251/7 in their 50 overs. The wrist spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy picked two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja had a scalp to his name. A chase of 252 looked an easy task for India on a pitch that didn’t offer much turn, as Rohit, who hit seven fours and three sixes in his 83-ball 76, and Shubman Gill had a 105-run opening stand. But a fighting New Zealand striking regular blows meant there was a sudden nervous energy in India’s chase.
Even though New Zealand’s spinners put up a fierce fight, India’s superior batting depth allowed them to cross the finish line with one over remaining. Rahul maintained his composure to finish with 34 not out off 33 balls, ensuring India won their third Champions Trophy following 2002 and 2013, even though Iyer hit 48 off 62 balls. After winning the T20 World Cup in June of last year, this is India’s second ICC title in a 12-month span.
