New Zealand 251-7 (50 overs): Mitchell 63 (101), Bracewell 53 (40); Kuldeep 2-40, Chakravarthy 2-45

India 254-6 (49 overs): Rohit 76 (83); Bracewell 2-28, Santner 2-46

India won by four wickets

Scorecard

India survived a New Zealand fightback to win the Champions Trophy with a four-wicket victory in Dubai.

India, dominant throughout the tournament, made a rampant start in pursuit of 252 only to lose three wickets for 17 runs, including captain Rohit Sharma for 76 and Virat Kohli for one.

Shreyas Iyer followed for 48 and Axar Patel holed out on 29 to leave 49 runs to get from 51 balls.

Hardik Pandya took India closer and, after he fell for 18, KL Rahul finished 34 not out as Ravindra Jadeja hit the winning runs with an over to spare.

That India always still felt ahead of the game was thanks to their spinners once again impressing by limiting New Zealand to 251-7.

Victory confirms India’s place as the world’s premier white-ball side.

Since being beaten in the final of the 2023 World Cup they have won the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy – a record third time they have won this event.

They were loudly supported by a partisan crowd in Dubai, fireworks erupting into the night sky as the players rushed onto the field at the final moment, but disappointment remained that this final was not played in Lahore, which would have been the case had India not refused to travel to Pakistan.

This tournament has flickered without ever catching light – much of the action overshadowed by the debate over the advantages India have had in playing all of their matches in Dubai.

In the end it got a tense finale – at least a finish closer than looked likely for much of the match.

First India’s spinners restricted and then Rohit charged.

India looked on course for a thumping win when Rohit was flogging the New Zealand seamers, with the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Matt Henry absent because of injury.

Ultimately, India had to work, as hard as at any point in their unbeaten progression through this tournament, but their depth and quality is such that they were always favourites amid passionate support.

While it does not go all of the way to banishing the pain of the defeat in the final at home in 2023, it provides more silverware for the likes Rohit and Kohli, who may not have continued in the format had they beaten Australia in Ahmedabad.

With the next men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by India in 2026 and a new generation of Indians eagerly awaiting, the question for the rest of the world is: how do they possibly overhaul India?