India Ends 12-Year Drought, Lifts ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai

India last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 in England under the leadership of MS Dhoni. They reached the final again in 2017 but lost to arch-rivals Pakistan at The Oval in London.

Led by Rohit Sharma, India began their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Bangladesh. Mohammed Shami starred with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul to restrict Bangladesh to 228. Shubman Gill then scored an unbeaten ton as India chased down the target of 229 with ease.

In their second group match, India faced Pakistan and bowled them out for 241 in 49.4 overs. Kuldeep Yadav picked up three wickets, while Hardik Pandya took two. Virat Kohli then produced a match-winning unbeaten century, his 51st in ODIs, as India chased the target in 42.3 overs to secure a six-wicket victory. The win confirmed India's place in the semi-finals and eliminated defending champions Pakistan from the tournament.

After their two comprehensive wins, "Men in blue" took a brief break before taking on New Zealand in their final group match.

The 'Black Caps' did turn out to be a tough opponent, as they managed to restrict the star-studded Indian batting line-up to 249/9 in 50 overs, with Matt Henry picking up a fifer. But the Indian team was up for a fight, and they unleashed their mystery spinner, Varun Chakaravarthy. The legbreak bowler bagged five wickets to bowl the Kiwis out for 205 in 45.3 overs, guiding India to a 44-run win and remaining unbeaten in the group stage, topping group A.

The in-form team India then took on the "mighty Aussies" in the semi-final.

Mohammed Shami took three wickets, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each, as Australia were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs. Steven Smith scored 73, while Alex Carey made 61.

Like the first two group stage matches, India chased down the target with Virat Kohli being the highest run-scorer, scoring 84 from 98 balls to chase down the target in 48.1 overs to register a four-wicket win and enter the final, avenging their 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final defeat.

In the final, India faced New Zealand for the second time in the tournament. Batting first, New Zealand scored 251/7 in 50 overs, with Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell hitting half-centuries. Rohit Sharma found form in the final, scoring 76 off 83 balls. He was supported by Shreyas Iyer, who made 48, and KL Rahul, who remained unbeaten on 34, as India chased down the target in 49 overs to win by four wickets.

With this victory, India lifted the ICC Champions Trophy for the second time. Rohit Sharma won his second ICC title as captain and fourth overall as a player. His first ICC title as a player came in the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup, while his first as captain was the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.

Rohit Sharma is now the only Indian captain after MS Dhoni to win multiple ICC titles in white-ball cricket.

- ANI