New Zealand’s dynamic batter Rachin Ravindra fell victim to a stunning delivery from Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. The left-hander, who had been scoring freely, was clean-bowled for a brisk 37 off 29 balls, undone by Kuldeep’s sharp wrong ‘un on the very first ball of his spell.

New Zealand, having won the toss, opted to bat first in Dubai on Sunday, March 9. Ravindra came out firing, dispatching Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya for early boundaries. The Black Caps looked in control, but Varun Chakravarthy provided India with their first breakthrough by dismissing Will Young for 15 off 23 balls.

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Kuldeep Yadav was introduced in the 11th over, and he made an immediate impact. His very first delivery turned sharply, beating Ravindra’s defence and clipping his pad before rattling the stumps. The dismissal left New Zealand at 69/2, just as they seemed to be building momentum.

Ravindra’s knock included four boundaries and a towering six, setting the stage for an aggressive start. However, his departure swung the game back in India’s favour, with the Men in Blue regaining control after an intense powerplay. Kuldeep’s celebration signaled how crucial the breakthrough was.

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Star Sports, the official broadcaster, shared the moment on X (formerly Twitter), captioning the clip: “CASTLED! | \ | #KuldeepYadav makes the impact straightaway, as #RachinRavindra is cleaned up courtesy a sharp googly! 💪🏻”

WHAT A BALL BY KULDEEP. 🤯pic.twitter.com/zFgXsZPGab

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 9, 2025

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja described the dismissal as a turning point. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, he remarked, “That is massive. Rachin Ravindra was batting beautifully, but this changes everything. Kuldeep Yadav bowled the perfect ball, leaving no chance for Ravindra to survive.”