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India And New Zealand’s Last Champions Trophy Final Battle: A Quick Recap

Rajgeeta Yadav

Team India will take on New Zealand on Sunday [Source: AP Photos]Team India will take on New Zealand on Sunday [Source: AP Photos]

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It's that exciting time again, where India are nearing another ICC trophy after winning the T20 World Cup last year. This time, they're up against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai on Sunday. The rivalry is heating up as both teams meet for the third time in an ICC tournament final. However, New Zealand have won both of the previous encounters.

If you’re trying to remember the last time India faced New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final, it was back in 2000. Here’s a look at what happened during that memorable clash:

India vs New Zealand - The 2000 Champions Trophy Final

India and New Zealand don’t meet often in the Champions Trophy. The last they met was back in 2000, when it was called the ICC KnockOut tournament. 

After both teams made their way through the group stages and knockouts, they met in Nairobi, Kenya. New Zealand’s captain, Stephen Fleming, won the toss and decided to bowl first, sending India to bat. India’s batting effort was led by Sourav Ganguly, who was in great form during the tournament. He scored 117 runs and shared a strong 141-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar.

However, despite that strong start, India couldn’t make the most of it. Scott Styris played a key role in running out both Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Later, Nathan Astle dismissed Ganguly, and India’s batting collapsed. Once on track for a score above 300, India was restricted to 264/6.

When New Zealand began their chase, India seemed to have the upper hand. Craig Spearman was out early, followed by Stephen Fleming, with Venkatesh Prasad taking both wickets. Nathan Astle tried to fight back, but his wicket could have turned the match in India’s favour. However, that was when Chris Cairns took charge.

Despite a knee injury that had kept him out of the semifinals, Cairns came in at number five, with New Zealand still needing over 180 runs to win. He took his time at the crease but played beautifully, keeping the chase alive.

Cairns reached his century in the penultimate over, and although it came down to the final over, New Zealand had the chase under control. Cairns hit the winning run, securing New Zealand’s first and only ICC limited-overs trophy.