The date is March 9, 2025... the Indian team is poised to face New Zealand (the Kiwi team) in the Champions Trophy final for three pivotal revenge missions. This is the moment to heal the wounds dealt by the Kiwis in cricket, beginning in 2000 and followed by heartbreaks in 2019, 2021, and most recently in 2024. At the Dubai International Stadium, Team India aims to conquer New Zealand and settle old scores decisively. The Kiwi team has often upset India’s plans at the last moment, delivering painful defeats right when India was closest to glory. Each of these four instances saw India as favorites, yet New Zealand shattered their dreams.
Occasion 1:
Let’s take a trip back two decades to October 15, 2000, in Nairobi. It was the final of the Champions Trophy between India and New Zealand. Then-captain Sourav Ganguly served an impressive 119, accompanied by Sachin Tendulkar's 69, setting a score of 264/6.
New Zealand began their chase with Indian bowlers initially crippling their batting lineup. Craig Spearman (3) and captain Stephen Fleming (5) were both sent back by Venkatesh Prasad. At 132, New Zealand had lost five wickets, making India appear on track for victory.
Yet, Chris Cairns and Chris Harris (46) anchored themselves, leading New Zealand to victory, with Cairns finishing unbeaten at 102. For the first time, New Zealand tasted ICC tournament success, and it was India’s dream that was the casualty.
Source: aajtak
Subsequent ICC tournaments saw New Zealand frequently dashing Indian dreams. In 2003, India beat the Kiwis at the Centurion in the ODI World Cup. Twenty years later, in the 2023 ODI World Cup at Dharamshala, India secured a win by four wickets, marking their first ICC tournament victory over New Zealand in two decades. The statistics starkly illustrate how New Zealand has consistently become a thorn in India's side.
Occasion 2:
Fast forward to the opening season final of the World Test Championship (WTC Final) in June 2021. Once again, India and New Zealand clashed, with New Zealand triumphing by 8 wickets. Throughout the test match, India's performance was lackluster. This marked the second instance, following the 2000 Champions Trophy final, where New Zealand trampled India in a major ICC tournament.
Occasion 3:
Next, we recount the scenario where New Zealand shattered India's dreams. The upcoming WTC final starting on June 11, 2025, is set between South Africa and Australia. However, at one point, India was the frontrunner to play the WTC Final in 2025. India had to play three tests against New Zealand and five against Australia. New Zealand triumphed in the test series with a 3-0 win, becoming the first team to whitewash India on home soil.
This defeat destabilized India's momentum, spilling over into their Australian tour, where they lost 3-1. Consequently, India missed its first opportunity to contest a WTC final season.
Finally, we recount India's close encounter with triumph against New Zealand, where victory slipped through like grains of sand.
Occasion 4:
At Manchester in the first semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, New Zealand defeated Team India by 18 runs. It’s a memorable encounter where New Zealand extinguished India's hopes of becoming ICC World Champions for the third time. This match also marked the last international appearance for Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
It’s clear that New Zealand has frequently snatched victory from a seemingly certain Indian grasp. March 9th represents the day of reckoning for India against New Zealand. A day when Team India hopes to fulfill the promise of four vengeance missions—righting the wrongs of the 2000 Champions Trophy final, the 2019 World Cup defeat, the 2021 WTC final collapse, and the 3-0 test series whitewash at home. Should India’s recent form persist, they might well achieve all four revenges in a single sweep.
