New Zealand’s Kane Williamson did not come out on the field as India chased a score in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final after contracting a quad strain batting in Dubai on Sunday. This was confirmed by the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) during the interval in an innings.
“Kane Williamson will not field in the second innings of the Champions Trophy final due to a quad strain sustained while batting. Mark Chapman has taken his place in the field,” NZC said.
Kane Williamson Short Stay at the Crease
New Zealand’s most reliable batsman throughout the tournament, Kane Williamson came to the final following a century during the semifinal against South Africa. His innings in the final, though, was short.
Walking in to bat in the eighth over after Rachin Ravindra got out, Williamson scored only 11 runs from 14 deliveries, with one boundary. Williamson’s stay came to an end when he clipped an easy return catch to Kuldeep Yadav while trying to force a sharp single.
Though he made an early departure in the final, Kane Williamson finished the Champions Trophy 2025 as the third-highest scorer with 200 runs from five games. Before that, he also achieved a milestone, becoming the first batsman to surpass 19,000 international runs in 440 innings.
India Set 252 to Win Champions Trophy 2025
India require 252 runs to achieve their third ICC Champions Trophy title after limiting New Zealand to 251/7 in the first innings. The Indian bowling unit, spearheaded by spinners, came up with a disciplined display to keep New Zealand’s score under wraps.
Daryl Mitchell was the top scorer for the BlackCaps with 63 from 101 balls, while Michael Bracewell scored 53 not out. Rachin Ravindra (37) and Glenn Phillips (34) also chipped in with useful runs.
For India, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy picked two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami picked one wicket each.
With India chasing 252 for a win, Williamson’s absence from the field may prove to be a major setback for New Zealand in the title showdown.
