NEW DELHI: In a delightful post-match moment, Indian cricketing stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma lit up the Dubai International Cricket Stadium with their ‘Dandiya’ steps.
After India’s thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy final, the two Indian icons celebrated in style — by performing an impromptu Dandiya dance, using the match stumps as their sticks.
Smiling from ear to ear, Kohli and Rohit twirled their stumps, recreating the vibrant Gujarati folk dance, much to the amusement of teammates and fans alike.
The playful celebration symbolised not just a major trophy win, but also a heartfelt camaraderie at the end of a historic night.
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“It’s been amazing, we wanted to bounce back after a tough Australian tour, and wanted to win a big tournament, so to win the Champions Trophy is amazing. So much talent in the dressing room, they’re trying to take their game further and we’re just happy to be of help (role of the seniors), sharing our experience and that’s what makes this Indian team so strong,” said Kohli after his second Champions Trophy title.
“It is very nice. We played some really good cricket through the tournament, to come out and have the result our way is a great feeling, very happy with how we played this game. It is not natural to me but it is something I really wanted to do, when you are trying something different you need the backing of the team and they were with me, Rahul bhai in the 2023 World Cup and now with Gauti bhai,” Skipper Rohit, who was also awarded the Man of the Match, said in the post-match presentation.
Earlier, India chased down 252, with captain Rohit leading from the front with a fluent 76 off 83 balls, setting the tone.
KL Rahul remained calm under pressure, finishing unbeaten on 34, guiding India to 254/6 in 49 overs and sealing their third Champions Trophy title.
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New Zealand had earlier posted a competitive 251/7, powered by gritty half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell (63) and Michael Bracewell (53).
Despite a brisk start, the Black Caps were pulled back by India’s spinners, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy, on a dry, turning pitch.
This victory comes just a year after India lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup, further solidifying their dominance in white-ball cricket.
All of India’s matches in this tournament were played in Dubai, with the team not traveling to host nation Pakistan due to government-imposed security concerns.
