During the intense final between India and New Zealand of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Rachin Ravindra reached an important milestone at the Dubai International Stadium, though he could not carry his innings in the final.
However, with his batting continuing throughout the tournament, it was enough for him to become the highest run-scorer of the tournament, breaking the record of Ben Duckett of England.
Rachin Ravindra’s IND vs NZ Final Performance
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Rachin Ravindra had been in great form throughout the tournament, and in the final, he was run out for 37 off 29 balls, having hit four fours and a six before he was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav in the 11th over. Although his final innings wasn’t long, it was significant enough for him to top the run-scorer chart, with a total of 263 runs.
He outscored India’s Virat Kohli by 42 runs, who had scored 217 runs during the tournament. Notwithstanding attempts by India to cut him off from scoring, Ravindra’s consistency and form throughout the tournament were worth a lot to New Zealand.
Record Breaker: Ravindra Surpasses Ben Duckett
I would like to mention that in the final, 37 runs contributed by Rachin Ravindra played a crucial role in the crowning of the highest run-scorer of the Champions Trophy 2025. Before that, he amassed a total of 226 runs in three games. To break the record held by Ben Duckett, who scored 227 runs in three games, with a top score of 165,
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Ravindra needed only one run, as Duckett’s tournament was cut short with England’s premature exit. This gave Ravindra the perfect opportunity to take the top spot. After scoring 37 in the final, Ravindra finished with 263 runs in the tournament, which took him past Duckett. For the young 24-year-old opener from New Zealand, this was a perfect flourish in an excellent tournament.
Ravindra’s Stunning Tournament Run
Ravindra’s path to topping the run-scorers list was a demonstration of his form and consistency. He began the tournament in style, registering a stunning century against Bangladesh in his opening game of the Champions Trophy. His tournament almost suffered a setback when he had a head injury during New Zealand’s pre-tournament triangular series, which led to him missing their first match against Pakistan.
On his return, Ravindra made himself felt straight away. In the group-stage game of New Zealand against India, he managed only a humble six runs, but he was soon back in business in their second game against South Africa. Ravindra recorded his second hundred of the tournament in the semi-final, an exquisite knock of 108 runs, with 13 fours and a six. This knock, combined with a 102-run contribution from Kane Williamson, supported New Zealand in scoring an incredible total of 362/6 in their 50 overs.
Key Contributions in the Semi-Final
In the semi-final against South Africa, New Zealand’s convincing win was not all about Ravindra’s century. The Black Caps put up a huge total of 362/6, courtesy of impressive performances by Ravindra and Williamson. In spite of South Africa’s best attempts, they were limited to 312/9, sending New Zealand through to the final against India in a comfortable fashion.
India’s Virat Kohli and Other Key Players
While Ravindra’s extraordinary batting performances were the talk of the tournament, India’s Virat Kohli generated a buzz of his own. Kohli had scored 217 runs in the tournament, which was the fourth-highest number of runs scored by any player, narrowly behind Ravindra.
Had Kohli showed exceptional form during the final match against India, he would have probably broken the record of Ravindra. Long after him stood Iyer and Gill, with Iyer amassing 195 runs to be in the eighth place and Gill scoring 157 runs to be in the eleventh position.
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