India vs New Zealand: India’s spin attack was at the forefront of their Champions Trophy 2025 final campaign against over New Zealand in Dubai. The slow nature of the pitch played into India’s strengths as their world-class spin quartet—Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel—delivered a collective masterclass, bowling a record 38 overs in the innings.
Having played all their matches in Dubai, India adapted to the conditions perfectly. With the pitch getting slower as the tournament progressed, captain Rohit Sharma leaned heavily on his spinners, a decision that paid dividends in the final.

New Zealand posted 251 runs, with Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell leading the charge. However, India’s spinners controlled the game, restricting the Kiwis with tight lines and variations.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Shami | 9 | 74 | 1 | 8.22 |
| Hardik Pandya | 3 | 30 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 10 | 45 | 2 | 4.50 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 10 | 40 | 2 | 4.00 |
| Axar Patel | 8 | 29 | 0 | 3.62 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 10 | 30 | 1 | 3.00 |
Pace: 1/104 in 12 overs (ER: 8.67)
Spin: 5/144 in 38 overs (ER: 3.79)
Meanwhile pacers struggled as Mohammed Shami’s 74 runs conceded were the second-most by an Indian bowler in a Champions Trophy game, only behind Umesh Yadav’s 2/75 against South Africa in Cardiff, 2013.
India’s dominance in the final was largely due to their effective spin strategy. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy orchestrated a well-controlled middle overs phase, which ultimately restricted New Zealand to a chaseable total. With India’s long-standing prowess in subcontinental conditions, this tactical approach ensured another ICC trophy triumph.