Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy returned figures of 5-42 as India beat New Zealand by 44 runs on Sunday to set up a semi-final clash with Australia in the Champions Trophy.
India won all three of their group matches to top Group A and will play the first semi-final of the 50-over tournament in Dubai on Tuesday. New Zealand will take on Group B winners South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday.
Chakravarthy took his first ODI five-wicket haul in just his second match as India bowled out New Zealand for 205 in 45.3 overs despite a valiant 81 by Kane Williamson.
New Zealand pace bowler Matt Henry stood out with figures of 5-42 from his eight overs.
The Black Caps lost Rachin Ravindra early as Axar Patel took a superb catch to dismiss the opener for six.
Chakravarthy cut short Will Young’s innings on 22 when he bowled him with a googly.
In between the two wickets, Williamson hit Jadeja for a boundary to raise his 47th ODI half-century but India kept taking wickets.
Williamson stood firm but could not find a long-term partner as Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham were dismissed for 17 and 14, respectively. He survived two dropped catches on 17 and 68 in his 120-ball knock before he finally fell, stumped off Patel.
India’s spinners dominated in helpful conditions, as Kuldeep Yadav sent back Mitchell and Ravindra Jadeja trapped Latham lbw.
The Black Caps struck early in the first innings, sending Indian top order batters Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill all back to the dugout with the score at just 30 after seven overs.
An airborne Phillips clung on to a fast-travelling ball at backward point to dismiss Kohli for 11 off Henry. Kohli was left standing in disbelief before trudging off the ground to stunned silence.
Another stunning catch, this time by Williamson, who flung himself to his left at backward point to make a one-handed grab close to the ground, dismissed Jadeja for 16 off Henry.
Shreyas Iyer’s 79 and a late 45 by Hardik Pandya steered India to 249-9 after being invited to bat first. Pandya struck four fours and two sixes in his run-a-ball innings to give India a total which proved to be enough.
Earlier, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to field against India. Both teams came into the match in Dubai unbeaten.
The match was Virat Kohli’s 300th one-day international after the Indian batting great hit form with a century in the team’s previous win over arch-rivals Pakistan.
Irrespective of the placing and opponent, India will play the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday after they refused to travel to hosts Pakistan because of political tensions.
New Zealand will leave for Lahore after the match, with the second semi-final to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
