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Moments after India lifted their third ICC Champions Trophy title on Sunday, captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were spotted basking in the joy of their victory, sharing heartfelt moments with their families.
Sharma’s leadership reached new heights as he played a captain`s knock to guide India to their second consecutive ICC trophy, following last year’s T20 World Cup.
After the match, Sharma was seen enjoying precious moments with his wife, Ritika, and their daughter, Samaira. Rohit also shared a warm embrace with actress Anushka Sharma, the wife of fellow cricketing icon Virat Kohli.
Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed significantly with both bat and ball during the match, was spotted celebrating with his daughter, Nidhyana, lifting her in his arms as he shared the joy of India’s victory. Jadeja’s all-round performance, including his crucial spell of 1/30 in 10 overs and the decisive runs he struck to clinch the win, was pivotal in securing the win for India. Earlier, Kohli, who had been a part of India’s chase, rushed to share the celebratory moment with Anushka.
The match itself was a thrilling contest, with New Zealand winning the toss and opting to bat first. The Kiwis got off to a solid start with a 57-run partnership between Will Young (15) and Rachin Ravindra (37 from 29 balls, including four boundaries and a six). However, Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) proved to be a key figure, breaking the partnership and reducing New Zealand to 75/3.
A resilient 57-run stand between Daryl Mitchell (63 from 101 balls) and Michael Bracewell (53 from 40 balls) guided New Zealand to a competitive total of 251/7 in their allotted 50 overs. Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) were the standout bowlers for India, with Mohammed Shami also taking a wicket, though he conceded 74 runs in his nine overs.
In reply, India started well with a solid 105-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (31 from 50 balls). However, the middle-order saw wickets fall quickly, with Rohit (76 from 83 balls) leading the charge. Shreyas Iyer (48 from 62 balls) and Axar Patel (29 from 40 balls) combined for a vital 61-run partnership, keeping India on track. After Axar’s dismissal, KL Rahul (34 from 33 balls) and Hardik Pandya (18) sealed the win, guiding India to victory with six wickets and an over to spare.
For New Zealand, Michael Bracewell (2/28) and Mitchell Santner (2/46) were the standout bowlers, but their efforts weren’t enough to stop India from clinching their third ICC Champions Trophy title.
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