India has defeated New Zealand by 44 runs and set up a rerun of the Cricket World Cup final against Australia over the past four years.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy returned the 5-42 number as India defeated New Zealand with 44 runs to set a semi-final clash with Australia in the Cricket Champions Trophy.
India has won all three Group A matches to Top Group A and will play the first semifinals of the 50-over tournament held in Dubai on Tuesday. The match is a rerun of the 2023 Cricket World Cup final, in which the Australian won Ahmedabad.
New Zealand will win Group B winner South Africa on Wednesday in Lahore.
India has played all of its matches at Dubai International Stadium after refusing to tour Pakistani hosts for security reasons.
Australia and South Africa had to travel from Pakistan to Dubai, despite not knowing whether they would play there or not. This is because India was said to play the first semifinals if they qualify no matter where they finish in the group before the tournament.
South Africa will need to return to Pakistan ahead of its meeting with New Zealand.
Shreiyas Ayer’s 79 and late Hardik Pandya, 45, led India to 249-9 after being first invited to the bat on Sunday.
New Zealand pace bowler Matt Henry stood out with numbers 5-42 in the eight-over.
Chakravarthy won his first ODI 5 wicket haul in his second match as India bowled New Zealand in 205 in 45.3 overs despite a brave 81 by Kane Williamson.
Williamson survived two drop catches with 17 and 68 with 120 ball knocks, eventually falling, baffling Aqua Patel.
New Zealand lost Lachin Rabindra early on as Patel scored a great catch to dismiss the six openers.
Chakravarthy cut short Will Young’s innings at 22 when he bowled him at Googlee.
Williamson stood firm, but was unable to find a long-term partner as Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham were fired between 17 and 14 respectively.
The Indian spinners were dominated in useful circumstances as Kuldeepyadav locked up Mitchell and Rabindra Jadeha in the Latham LBW.
Between the two wickets, Williamson beat Jadeha and raised the 47th ODI half century, but India continued to take the wicket.
Previously, India was 30-3, in trouble when Virat Kohli, who played in the 300th day international, was victim of a stunning one-handed catch from Glen Phillips.
In the air, Phillips became obsessed with the ball travelling rapidly at the rear point to dismiss Kohli for 11 from Henry.
Kohli remained in disbelief before jumping off the ground for a shocked silence.
Iyer and Patel, who made the 42, restructured the innings against a disciplined New Zealand attack, wearing 98 for the fourth wicket.
Another stunning catch – this time by Williamson, throwing himself to the left to make a grab for one hand near the ground.
Pandya attacked four four fours and two sixes in the running innings of the ball, proven sufficient for India.
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