Sundiata Post – New Zealand became entangled in a web of high-class spin bowling as they struggled to a total of 251-7 after choosing to bat first against India in the final of the Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
India’s four frontline spinners bowled 38 of the 50 overs for a combined collection of five wickets at a cost of just 115 runs with only left armer Axar Patel (8-0-29-0) not completing his 10 overs after sustaining a finger injury.
In-form opener Rachin Ravindra gave no indications of the difficulties to come with a fluent 37 from 29 balls containing four fours and a six but a googly from wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav (2-40) bowled him off his pads and the innings quickly changed direction after a promising start at 69-1 after 10 overs.
The great Kane Williamson (11) misread another Kuldeep googly and pushed a leading edge straight back to the bowler after Will Young (15) had been trapped lbw by Yadav’s fellow wrist-spinner Varun Chakravarthy who finished with 2-45.
Tom Latham (14 from 30) is a consummate player of spin but missed a sweep shot and was trapped lbw by Ravindra Jadeja (1-30) while Glenn Phillips battled hard for his 34 from 52 deliveries (2×4, 1×6) before another, quicker Chakravarthy googly slipped through his defences and crashed into the stumps.
Nobody battled harder than Daryl Mitchell, however, who reached his 50 from a whopping 93 balls with just a single boundary before finally attmpting to ‘pull the trigger’ against fast bowler Mohammad Shami in the 46th over and driving him straight to captain Rohit Sharma at cover.
Michael Bracewell smashed Shami and Hardik Pandya for a six apiece in his belated counter-attack which earned him a fighting 53* from just 40 balls (3×4) and gave the Black Caps hopes of an upset victory against the overwhelming tournament favourites but India will begin the run-chase strongly fancied to add the Champions Trophy to the T20 World Cup title they won last year against South Africa.
Fast bowler Matt Henry failed a late fitness test and was replaced in the Black Caps XI by allrounder Nathan Smith while India were at full strength with their spin quarter and quality batting down to No 8.
NEW ZEALAND: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wkt), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, William Orourke
INDIA: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wkt), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy
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