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Hello hello, welcome back to our blog covering the Champions Trophy! Today we are back in Dubai to cover the last group game of Group A between India and New Zealand. It should be a game to decide who will top the group and face Australia in the semi finals.
The story up till now is that India are batting first and are at 17/1 after 4 overes. Rohit and Kohli are out in the middle. It was Matt Henry who got Gill’s wicket.
Kuldeep cleans up O’Rourke to complete the decimation of the Kiwis in Dubai. Strangled by spin, the Kiwis were today. India defeat them by 44 runs and top the group and will now face Australia in the semi finals. New Zealand will go through to the semi finals and face South Africa.
Varun Chakravarthy will be the star of the night along with his spin compatriots. India squeezed New Zealand and made it difficult to rotate the strike and alleviate the pressure. Such performances make 250 look like a mountain of a target. Only Kane Williamson offered some resistance and patience but in the end Axar had him stumped. India will be pleased with their performance will look to replicate it against Australia. We now head into the knockout stages, till then, goodbye!
Geez, I did not have any time between these two updates as Chakravarthy gets his fifth scalp, Matt Henry. Tosses it up and the batter clobs it up in the air and Kohli takes the catch.
New Zealand are 197/9.
Santner goes and so does the game for New Zealand with him! Castled by Chakravarthy who gets his 4th of the game. He has been absolutely venomous tonight.
New Zealand are 195/8.
That is the wicket India wanted! Williamson gone! Wonderfully deceptive bowling from Axar, beats Williamson in the air and gets him stumped by Rahul. New Zealand are almost out of hope now.
New Zealand are 175/7
Wow wow wow! Chakravarthy is on fire tonight! Another batter trapped leg before and another one adjudged to be out. Another wicket for India, New Zealand in a pickle right now.
New Zealand are 159/6
Varun get Phillips! That’s six and out! The ball keeps drifting in for Phillips who misses the ball and that is plumb. Even Phillips does not hang around to review the call.
New Zealand are 151/5
Kuldeep gets Mitchell! You could see the pressure building and the need for the Kiwi batters to release it. The choke on runs has worked in India’s favour and Kuldeep spins a web around Mitchell to trap him leg before.
New Zealand are 93/3.
After Young was dismissed, Williamson and Mitchell have both worked in tandem to stitch a much needed partnership. Williamson is playing a typical Williamson innings, holding the fort down from one end, and Mitchell will naturally be the aggressor.
New Zealand are 85/2.
Straight after the powerplay, Chakravarthy strikes! Chopped on by Young and the wicket was clearly coming. A welcome wicket for India.
49/2 New Zealand
Ravindra out!! Pandya strikes! The short ball has worked against the leftie. Ravindra departs for 6 runs. First wicket down.
New Zealand are 22/1.
The Kiwi openers Young and Ravindra are out. India will open the bowling with Shami as usual.
So India finish with a par score of 249/9. Absolutely fantastic bowling and fielding by the Blackcaps today. Active and they were livewires in the field today. Iyer and Axar were the stars for India and there was a flashy innings by Hardik at the end. It will surely be an interesting chase, with which we will be right back.
Pandya slashes to his dismissal! Tried to hook Henry after a quiet last over but Rachin Ravindra shows up to complete the catch.
Another great piece of fielding by the Kiwis! Williamson with the catch off Henry to dismiss Jadeja. Another wicket down for the Indians. 250 might be a stretch from here.
India are 223/7
Santner to Rahul, and that’s out! Latham with the catch and somehow he hung on to it. A short innings by Rahul today, not one of his best.
India are 185/6
Iyer finally falls! O’Rourke with the wicket and Young with the catch. Iyer falls to the short ball ploy but can relax knowing he has done his job.
India are 172/5
Breakthrough for New Zealand! Ravindra gets Axar. A top edge from the batter’s blade bobbles up to Williamson at short third who takes it with one hand. That is fabulous innings by Axar, who has done his job with aplomb.
India are 128/4.
That is consecutive 50s for Iyer! A good innings from him today, even though it is his slowest in ODIs. He has held the innings together today for India. Great effort.
India are 118/3.
That is the 50 run partnership between Axar and Iyer. Runs have been difficult to score but this pair has managed the situation pretty well. Axar will look to score faster from now.
India are 88/3.
That is the end of the batting powerplay and it has been New Zealand’s this time round. Great line and lengths and some outstanding fielding from the Kiwis.
India are 38/3.
No way, Glen Phillips has done it again! It is the same catch again and again and again. Everyone is stunned by it. Kohli nails a cut shot against Henry but it is caught quite astonishingly by Phillips.
India are 30/3.
Both openers gone! Jamieson gets Rohit. A completely mistimed pull shot from the Indian skipper. You could see in the replays that it came off the bottom. The ball is caught by Will Young at mid wicket. Two down for India.
22/2 India.
