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Axar Patel’s stunning catch dismissed Rachin Ravindra off Hardik Pandya’s delivery, giving India a crucial wicket. New Zealand were 17/1 after four overs.
Snippets from Axar Patel’s catch against New Zealand. (PC: Screengrab/X)
To match New Zealand‘s fielding efforts in the first innings, India‘s all-rounder Axar Patel took a brilliant running catch to send back opener Rachin Ravindra and earn his team the first wicket of the second essay in the 2025 Champions Trophy clash in Dubai.
It happened in the fourth over. Hardik Pandya had conceded a no-ball and a boundary in the first five balls. But on the last, he smartly pitched in a slow bouncer outside the off-stump, which Ravindra couldn’t help but take on. The left-hander leaned back and tried to hit a big uppercut but mistimed it.
Axar at deep third seemed to judge it late but ran forward in time and dived forward to grab it with both hands. He also managed to keep hold of it despite falling on his elbows. Watch it here:
It was a crucial wicket for India. New Zealand dominated India with the ball and in the field in the first innings to keep them down to 249/9 and the Men in Blue hadn’t started too well in the bowling powerplay.
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Earlier in the same over, Varun Chakaravarthy had lost the ball in the air and ended up kicking it to the boundary, which was being touted as the stark difference between the two teams’ fielding abilities.
Axar’s effort changed the feel of the game and brought India back into the contest, quite similar to his catch of Mitchell Marsh against Australia at the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup. At the end of the over, New Zealand were 17/1 after four overs with Will Young batting alongside the new man, Kane Williamson.
India will also need Axar to contribute with the ball. The left-arm spinner is in excellent form, having taken five wickets in the last three ODIs, while bowling consistently economical spells in 2025.
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium pitch has enough turn available for spinners, which India need to make use of to have a chance at defending the total.
- Location :
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
