Cricket is more than just a sport for many Indians. That’s why their return to the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in 2025 was a long-awaited dream after an eight-year absence away from the competition. The Indian team listed a number of familiar veterans and new generation players. But one thing was certain: the fans expected nothing short of an excellent outing. It is undeniable that Pakistan’s position as the tournament’s joint host added zest to the Indian players’ ambition due to the political situation between the neighbouring countries. This article will walk you through India’s journey from the beginning to its final day.
India’s build-up heading to the tournament
The Indian team fielded a balanced team with a mix of experience from veterans and youthful strength. The leadership of the group rested on the calm shoulders of Rohit Sharma while players like Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill added fresh blood into the team. Kuldeep Yadav and Muhammed Siraj were part of the bowlers. The Indian team chose not to play any of their matches in Pakistan due to political tensions between India and Pakistan and the security of the players and fans. This meant they had to play in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. While it may have caused some psychological and logistical challenges, the Indian team weathered it through with grit. Let’s look at how the group stage matches went down.
India’s Group Stage Heroics
India faced Bangladesh in their first tournament match to mark the first real test. This match ignited excitement among fans from both nations which was followed by passionate viewership and intense support. It was another golden opportunity for punters to capitalize on great bonus offers. Sports betting worldwide has become a war of odds as bet lovers battled to exploit exclusive betting offers. The tie tested India’s grit but they saw past it after some beautiful play. Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami stole the show to earn India a win by 6 wickets. Shami displayed a stellar performance to help India bowl 228 against Bangladesh in the tournament’s opener.
India versus joint-host Pakistan was the most anticipated game of the tournament. It was a memorable day for Virat Kohli whose unbeaten century out of 111 balls inspired his team to close down on the mark in 42.3 overs. Babar Azam’s early innings saw Pakistan off to a positive start when he got his 23 before his dismissal during the ninth over by Hardik Pandya. Pakistan fought to rebuild the team’s innings as Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan produced a 104-run partnership. It was not meant to be however, as the men in blue utilized four overs to get Pakistan down to 167 over 5.
As India went on to clinch a six-wicket victory over their bitter rivals Pakistan, Virat Kohli’s century will be remembered as the tournament’s highlight. The performance was his 51st in the ODIs. This proved pivotal in pushing India towards victory over their bitter rivals in the final overs. Kohli’s salute to them will go down as an iconic moment in the tournament. New Zealand presented a different challenge.
The final group game for the Indian team produced another hero as they clutched a 44-run victory over New Zealand after posting 249 over 9 in 50 overs. Although Kiwi star Kane Williamson inspired the Kiwis to produce 81 of 120 balls, it was not enough to avoid being bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs. Varun Chakravarthy was the hero of the match for his 5/42 bowling success, and he was named man of the match.
The Semi-Final Triumph
After finishing at the top of Group A, India faced the runners-up in Group B, Australia. It was another day at the office for Virat Kohli as he got 84 off 98 balls, cementing his place as one of the best batsmen in Cricket. As the power play reached its end, India was at 55/2, Kohli and Iyer’s 91-run partnership producing steady innings. Australia seemed ready to pounce on any mistakes from the men in blue as Australia’s Alex Carey battled back 61 out of 57 balls. However, the men in blue put up a stellar performance to see off Australia with 11 balls and 4 wickets left as India defeated Australia. The semi-final triumph meant they would be meeting with New Zealand, their group stage opponent.
What the final held
On the 9th of March, India gave their fans a night to remember as they got off to a strong start when Rohit Sharma contributed to India’s victory with 6 balls left. Rohit’s 76 off 83 balls and Shreyas Iyer’s 48 off 62 helped India guide through a suspense-filled final to clinch a victory by 4 wickets.
In the end…
While many may believe that the final day victory was the biggest moment of the tournament, for most fans of the Indian national cricket team, it was the victory over bitter rivals, Pakistan. It was a tournament of several big moments and big achievements for the team and players like Kohli and Chakravarty. India became the first country to clinch the title three times, surpassing Australia, which had won it twice.
