India won the Champions Trophy by defeating New Zealand by six wickets. The victory was aided by an exceptional performance from the Indian spin bowlers, leading to allegations of scheduling bias. Former Pakistani players provided mixed reactions, with some praising India’s consistency in ICC tournaments, while others criticized the advantages they had in the tournament format.
A former Pakistan cricket star has criticized India’s recent Champions Trophy victory. India triumphed over New Zealand by six wickets in the final, marking their second Champions Trophy win. The Indian spin bowlers—Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel—combined to take 5 wickets for 144 runs in 38 overs, helping to limit New Zealand to 251 runs.
Despite a promising start, New Zealand’s innings gained momentum thanks to Michael Bracewell, who scored an unbeaten 53 from 40 balls. India’s openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, laid the foundation with a 105-run partnership, although India briefly fell to 17 runs for three wickets. Nevertheless, India secured the victory with six wickets remaining and six balls to spare.
Following their Champions Trophy success, India reinforced their status as the leading white-ball team, having also won the T20 World Cup recently. However, allegations of bias arose due to the geopolitical tensions with Pakistan, which resulted in India playing all their matches in Dubai without travel fatigue. Notably, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa traveled from Pakistan to Dubai for a possible semi-final against India, but two teams returned when the line-up was confirmed.
Former Pakistan bowler Junaid Khan expressed criticisms on social media, stating, “Some teams win by skill, some win by scheduling.” Conversely, Shoaib Akhtar, another former Pakistani cricketer, praised India, declaring, “The best team to emerge in ICC tournaments in the last 10 years is India. Congratulations to India. Thoroughly deserved.”
Following the victory, India’s captain Rohit Sharma applauded his team’s performance and credited the enthusiastic crowd in Dubai, describing it as feeling like a “home ground.” He noted, “We’ve played some really good cricket throughout the tournament. To come out here and win it is great.”
Virat Kohli, who missed the final, reflected positively on the talented young players in the team, stating, “They’re taking Indian cricket forward in the right direction. These guys are stepping up in a massive way, and that’s why we’re such a strong team.”
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged India’s performance, stating that the better team won. He commented, “We played some good cricket but we fell short to a better team. Credit to how they played; they’re world class spin bowlers.”
The article discusses the contrasting reactions following India’s Champions Trophy victory, highlighting criticism from former Pakistani players regarding alleged scheduling advantages, while others praised India’s consistent performance in ICC tournaments. The reactions underscore India’s dominant position in cricket and its ability to excel under pressure, as well as the challenges faced by New Zealand in the final. Ultimately, both teams showcased their talent in a memorable tournament.
Original Source: metro.co.uk
