India Win Third ICC Champions Trophy Title, Beat New Zealand by Four Wickets in Final

India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night, claiming the prestigious title for the third time. Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, the Indian team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and staged a superb comeback under pressure in the final as well. This is India's third Champions Trophy title; the team had previously shared the trophy with Sri Lanka in 2026 and won it by defeating England in 2026. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first, scoring 251 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs. The Kiwi innings got off to a slow start as the Indian bowlers applied pressure early. India's bowlers succeeded in preventing openers Will Young (15) and captain Kane Williamson (22) from playing big innings. Rachin Ravindra scored 37 runs off 68 balls, while Daryl Mitchell in the middle order played a fighting knock of 55 runs off 79 balls. However, the Indian bowlers kept striking at regular intervals, preventing a big total. For India, Kuldeep Yadav produced a brilliant spell under pressure, picking up two crucial wickets. Apart from him, Mohammed Shami and Axar Patel also took three wickets each. Shami bowled a superb opening spell with the new ball and then bowled tightly in the death overs as well. The team's fielding also played an important role, preventing New Zealand's batsmen from accelerating the run rate. Chasing the target, the Indian team got off to an underwhelming start. Opening batsman Shubman Gill was dismissed for 18 runs, while Virat Kohli, in search of a big innings, returned to the pavilion as early as the fifth over. Captain Rohit Sharma kept the team in the match by playing a brilliant half-century. In the middle order, Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja combined to steady the innings. The two built a dangerous partnership, bringing India closer to victory. Jadeja scored quickly in the final overs to take the team to the brink of victory and sealed the win by hitting a six in the last over. India also produced consistent performances throughout the tournament. Overall, this display marks them as the best team in the competition. After winning the title, the Indian captain said that this victory was the result of a collective effort by the entire team and that we maintained full faith in our plans. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson expressed disappointment at the loss but congratulated the Indian team. He said that we batted well but lost a few crucial moments in the middle overs.