Dubai/Chandigarh, 2 March — India posted 249 for 9 against New Zealand in their final Group A match of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday. Shreyas Iyer led the innings with a steady 79 off 98 balls v, supported by Hardik Pandya (45) and Axar Patel (42).
New Zealand pacer Matt Henry was the standout performer, taking 5 for 42. Both teams had already secured semifinal spots, with the winner set to top the group.
India, invited to bat first, lost early wickets as Shubman Gill (LBW, 3rd over) and Rohit Sharma (6th over) fell cheaply. Virat Kohli, playing his 300th ODI, was dismissed in the next over by Henry, with Glenn Phillips pulling off a stunning catch.
Iyer, coming in at No. 4, steadied the innings alongside Axar Patel.
He reached his second consecutive half-century in the tournament but was dismissed in the 37th over while attempting a pull shot off Will O’Rourke. Axar followed in the 43rd over, caught by Kane Williamson off Rachin Ravindra.
Hardik Pandya, looking set for a half-century, fell to Henry in the final over. Ravindra Jadeja (16) was also removed by Henry in the 46th over, with Williamson taking a sharp catch at backward point.
India reached the 200-run mark in the 43rd over but struggled in the final stretch, finishing just short of 250. The result will decide the Group A leader ahead of the semifinals.
