Shreyas Picks His Best Knock in Champions Trophy 2025 After Victory Over New Zealand in Final

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Shreyas Iyer picked his favourite knock of the Champions Trophy 2025 after India defeated New Zealand by 4 wickets in the title clash on Sunday (March 9) in Dubai to the win back-to-back ICC titles.

The 30-year-old Shreyas, who was labelled the "silent hero" by skipper Rohit Sharma after the final, finished the eight-team ICC tournament as the second highest run-scorer behind New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra.

Shreyas scored a total of 243 runs, including two fifties, in five innings at an average of 48.60 with the best of 79. The right-handed batter made valuable contributions throughout the tournament, often coming in to bat a time of crisis.

In Sunday's final, Shreyas once again scored a handy 48 off 62 balls, sharing a crucial stand of 61 with another troubleshooter in Axar Patel, as India chased down 252 with an over and four wickets to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Following the triumph, Indian players reacted to the victory and reflected on the performance in the tournament. Shreyas also was among the players sharing their reaction on Star Sports, speaking about winning the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025.

"The feeling is surreal. It's really hard to put into words, but I'm incredibly grateful and thankful. It feels fresh from the inside because we've worked so hard throughout the year," Shreyas said on Star Sports after the India vs New Zealand final.

"There have been ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I feel proud that I backed myself in crucial situations. My self-belief has always been high, and now, standing here with this blazer and a medal, it's the happiest moment."

Shreyas, who scored fifties against Pakistan and New Zealand, later reflected on his comeback to the Indian team after picking 79 off 98 balls as his best knock in the bygone Champions Trophy 2025.

"My 79-run knock against New Zealand, when we lost three wickets in the powerplay, was personally very satisfying. Taking the team to 250 from that situation was a big achievement for me, even though I missed out on a hundred," Shreyas added.

"Apart from that, I feel my innings against England in the first ODI helped secure my place in the team. And now, winning the Champions Trophy, it honestly feels like a fairytale."

Shreyas returned to the Indian team during the England series earlier this year, but the batter made a stunning revelation after the first ODI, which he was not supposed to play if Virat Kohli was fit. He scored a match-winning 59 in that outing, and since then has made the number four spot his own.

Having been released from the BCCI Central Contract in 2024, Shreyas is likely to be rewarded in 2025 following his consistent run with the bat and most importantly meeting the demands of the Indian cricket body of play in domestic cricket.