With an exciting four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the final on Sunday, India won their third ICC Champions Trophy championship, which they shared with Sri Lanka in 2000.
In a thrilling battle that lasted until the 49th over, the Men in Blue managed to chase down 252. With an undefeated 34, KL Rahul was a key contributor to India’s triumph.
Throughout the event, Rohit Sharma’s team played brilliantly and went undefeated. India, meanwhile, got off to a fast start after holding the Kiwis to 251/7, with Rohit taking the lead with an aggressive 76. However, the opposition managed to stay in the hunt in the last overs due to a middle-order slump. Rahul, who has experienced similar circumstances in the past, maintained composure to lead the team to victory.
“I was s****** myself, but I’m not sure I can say that on air. I was as certain as I could be that I would cross the line. All that matters is maintaining your composure; I’m glad I did it this time. In three of the five games, I have batted during similar moments. It’s difficult to describe, but the team is incredibly talented. We all had to play cricket as children, and pressure started to mount as soon as we become pro. All of them have been trained by the BCCI, and we’re pushing ourselves to improve,” Rahul told Star Sports.
The team had previously surpassed the 250-run threshold thanks to Michael Bracewell’s undefeated 53 off 40 and Daryl Mitchell’s 63 off 101. Rachin Ravindra added a fast 37 as well. But India’s bowling attack, which featured Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/45), made sure the Black Caps couldn’t get any closer to a higher total.
The Men in Blues had a strong start, but there were moments of strain in their pursuit, particularly when they lost two wickets quickly after reaching 183/3. But with one over remaining, Rahul and Hardik Pandya’s quick but significant 18-run knock led the team home.
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