Dubai, March 9 (IANS) India batter Shreyas Iyer finished the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy as the second-highest run-getter after playing a knock of 48 runs in the final against New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Iyer might have missed out on the much-deserved half-century but he was involved in a crucial 61-run fourth-wicket partnership with Axar Patel in the chase of 252.
India had an electrifying start with captain Rohit Sharma firing on all cylinders in the powerplay. He completed his 58th ODI half-century off 41 balls to set the tone of India’s chase.
Rohit and Shubman Gill stitched a 105-run partnership for the opening stand before New Zealand captain Mitchell Santer dismissed the latter for 31. In the next over, Michael Bracewell silenced the crowd with a prizey scalp of Virat Kohli for 1.
Shreyas Iyer joined Rohit in the middle but the Indian captain’s stay was cut short by Rachin Ravindra in the 27th over to give India third jolt in the match. Rohit departed after scoring 76 runs studded with three sixes and seven fours.
Iyer kept his calm and stitched a cautious and much-important partnership with Axar to keep India in the hunt for their third title.
With 241 runs in five matches, Iyer finished as the highest run-getter for India and second-highest in the tournament behind Rachin Ravindra’s tally of 263 runs.
Kohli finished as the second top run-getter for India with 218 runs and fourth overall.
Iyer had a dismal start against Bangladesh in the tournament before he hit back-to-back half-centuries against arch-rivals Pakistan (56 runs) and New Zealand (79 runs) in the group encounters.
The middle-order batter also played a vital knock of 45 against Australia in the semi-final.
Earlier, half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls) and Michael Bracewell (53 not out off 40 balls) took New Zealand to 251/7 after India’s spinners picked five wickets collectively, with wrist spin duo Kuldeep and Varun Chakaravarthy taking two wickets each.
–IANS
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