Champions Trophy: Chakaravarthy picks fifer as India beat NZ by 44 runs, set up semis clash with Australia

Dubai: Varun Chakravarthy led India’s charge with a superb 5-42, the best figures by a bowler in the ongoing tournament, as India beat New Zealand by 44 runs in the final Group A match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

The win means India finish as Group A toppers and will now face Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday, in what is a re-match of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. New Zealand, meanwhile, will take on South Africa in the second semi-final at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.

After Shreyas Iyer’s 79 helped India reach 249/9 in 50 overs, Chakaravarthy deceived the Blackcaps batters with his pace and variations to finish with 5-42 in his ten overs on Champions Trophy debut and bowl them out for 205 in 45.3 overs.

For New Zealand, Kane Williamson waged a lone battle through his 81 off 120 balls on a tricky pitch, where he relied on nudges, glances and inside-out shots for boundaries. But with the Indian spin quartet applying the squeeze in middle overs, it meant that the Rohit Sharma & Co continued their unbeaten run in the tournament.

India could have got their first wicket in the fourth over if Will Young’s catch wasn’t dropped by Chakaravarthy at mid-on off Hardik Pandya’s bowling, with the fielder kicking the ball off the boot for four. But four balls later, Pandya provided the early breakthrough as Rachin Ravindra upper-cut to deep third, where Axar Patel took a low diving catch.

Though Young and Williamson hit some tight boundaries, India didn’t let them go off the hook as New Zealand made 44/1 in the first power-play. Varun Chakaravarthy, who found enough turn in his first over, got him on the wickets board by having Young inside-edge a googly onto his stumps.

With India’s spinners getting lots of turn, Williamson, given a life on 32 by Chakaravarthy, and Mitchell were content in playing the waiting game while hitting boundaries occasionally in their 44-run stand for the third wicket. But Kuldeep Yadav broke the partnership as he got a googly to spin past the inside edge and trap Mitchell lbw for 17.

Williamson hanged around to get his fifty off 77 balls by tickling Jadeja through fine leg for four, and keep New Zealand alive in the chase by hitting an inside-out drive against the spinner for another boundary. But Jadeja bounced back by trapping a reverse-sweeping Tom Latham lbw for 14.

Jadeja could have got Williamson out on 68 if KL Rahul had grabbed the chance. But Chakaravarthy struck twice in his two overs to trap Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell lbw, though replays showed the latter would have been not out as the ball missed the stumps.

The game’s result became a foregone conclusion when Williamson danced down the pitch to hit Axar over mid-on, but missed the delivery and was stumped easily by Rahul for a gritty 81 off 120 balls. Mitchell Santner hit some late boundaries in making 28 off 31 balls, till his off-stump was uprooted by Chakaravarthy, who picked a five-wicket haul and effectively sealed the deal in India’s favour.

Brief Scores: India 249/9 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 79, Hardik Pandya 45; Matt Henry 5-42) beat New Zealand 205/10 in 45.3 overs (Kane Williamson 81, Mitchell Santner 28; Varun Chakaravarthy 5-42, Kuldeep Yadav 2-56) by 44 runs

IANS