Henry's five-for exposes India's frailties despite Iyer, Hardik, and Axar's fight

India fell short of 250 against New Zealand in Dubai on 2 March, as Matt Henry's five-wicket haul and New Zealand's sharp fielding kept the Indian batsmen in check despite a spirited effort from Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel.

Opting to bat first in their Champions Trophy group match, India managed 249 for 9 in their 50 overs. Their top order crumbled under pressure, with Shubman Gill (2), Rohit Sharma (15), and Virat Kohli (11) departing early. Kohli, playing his 300th match, was dismissed by a stunning catch from Glenn Phillips, leaving India struggling at 26 for 3.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner's decision to bowl first paid off as the bowlers capitalised on a spin-friendly pitch and executed their plans well. Matt Henry led the charge, finishing with 5 wickets, while Michael Bracewell and Santner also bowled tightly.

India's rescue act came from the middle order, with Shreyas Iyer scoring a composed 79 and Axar Patel adding a solid 42. The duo stitched together a 98-run partnership for the fourth wicket, providing some stability to the innings. However, Rachin Ravindra broke the stand when Axar edged to Kane Williamson. Iyer also fell while trying to accelerate, caught by Will Young off O'Rourke.

Hardik Pandya provided late momentum with a brisk 45 off 44 balls, but his effort couldn't push India past the 250-run mark. The Indian lower order failed to capitalise on the platform set by Iyer and Axar, with KL Rahul scoring 23 and Ravindra Jadeja managing only 16.

Henry's five-wicket haul was the highlight of New Zealand's bowling performance, demonstrating why they remain a tough opponent ahead of the semi-finals. India's earlier successes against Bangladesh and Pakistan seemed a distant memory, as they struggled to match New Zealand's discipline and intensity.