Chakravarthy spins out NZ as India sets up semifinal against Australia at Champions Trophy

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Spinner Varun Chakravarthy did most of the damage as India beat New Zealand by 44 runs on Sunday to win Group A and set up a Champions Trophy semifinal match against Australia.

Chakravarthy took 5-42 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, his first five-wicket haul in only his second one-day international.

“The senior players helped me and, as the game went on, I felt better,” Chakravarthy said. “I am not a big turner (of the ball) but if you bowled in the right areas, there was help from the surface.”

Kuldeep Yadav took 2-56, while Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel took a wicket each, as India’s four-spinner attack shared nine wickets between them. New Zealand was bowled out for 205 runs in 45.3 overs after Shreyas Iyer earlier scored 79 runs off 98 balls to anchor India to a competitive 249-9 in 50 overs.

“It spun a little more than we thought (under lights) and they squeezed us with four quality spinners,” said New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner.

India won all three group games and will play Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday, also in Dubai.

New Zealand faces Group B winner South Africa in the second semifinal on Wednesday in Lahore, Pakistan.

Both India and New Zealand had already qualified for the semifinals.

Star batter Virat Kohli took the field for his 300th one-day international. Kohli became only the seventh cricketer to represent India in 300 or more ODIs. Sachin Tendulkar leads the way with 463 ODIs – the most by any player in world cricket.

New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl. Both sides had made a solitary change to their playing elevens.

India got off to a poor start – Rohit Sharma was out caught for 15, while Matt Henry trapped in-form Shubman Gill lbw for two.

It became 30-3 as Kohli was caught at backward point for 11 when Glenn Phillips took a sensational one-handed flying catch.

Iyer came to India’s rescue as he put on 98 runs off 136 balls for the fourth wicket with Patel.

Patel scored a calm 42 off 61 balls, further strengthening his position as a reliable middle-order batter. He hit three fours and a six.

At the other end, Iyer batted in a different style, biding his time and curbing his naturally aggressive instinct. He reached 50 off 75 with four fours. He hit two sixes after that and started taking more risks which led to his downfall. He was caught off a short delivery from Will O’Rourke in the 37th over.

Patel had earlier fallen to another great catch – this time Kane Williamson flying to dismiss him off Rachin Ravindra.

Hardik Pandya scored a run-a-ball 45 – including four fours and two sixes – to push India to the brink of 250.

New Zealand’s chase was anchored by Williamson. The former skipper top-scored with 81 off 120 balls, hitting seven fours.

But the Indian spin on a slow, two-paced pitch was too much to handle for the Black Caps. Pandya got rid of Ravindra early – for just six.

Chakravarthy picked up his first wicket when he bowled Will Young for 22 runs.

Williamson put on 44 with Daryl Mitchell (17), and then another 40 with Tom Latham (14).

Yadav and Jadeja provided the breakthroughs by trapping Mitchell and Latham lbw, respectively.

Chakravarthy was tough to handle for the lower order, taking four wickets across six overs in his latter spell to reach the five-for milestone – the earliest for an Indian bowler in ODIs.

Williamson was out stumped off Patel in the 41st over.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

India's Varun Chakravarthy, second from left, celebrate the wicket of New Zealand's Matt Henry with his team mates during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

New Zealand's Will O'Rourke is bowled out by India's Kuldeep Yadav during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's captain Rohit Sharma after they won the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's Hardik Pandya, centre, shakes hand with New Zealand's Kyle Jamiesond after they won the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's captain Rohit Sharma, right, shakes hand with New Zealand's Will O'Rourke after they won the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's Varun Chakravarthy celebrate the wicket of New Zealand's Glenn Phillips during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's Varun Chakravarthy, right, celebrate the wicket of New Zealand's Matt Henry during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's Virat Kohli walks off the field after losing his wicket during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's Varun Chakravarthy, left, celebrate the wicket of New Zealand's Will Young with India's Virat Kohli, right, during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )

India's captain Rohit Sharma, right, watches as New Zealand's captain Mitch Santner flips the coin at the toss ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand's captain Mitch Santner, center, greets India's captain Rohit Sharma after the coin toss ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was ejected after just one technical foul and forward Naji Marshall was tossed moments later from the bench after getting his second tech on Friday night in a game against Orlando.

The sequence came early in the fourth quarter against the Magic, with the Mavericks trailing by more than 20 points. Dallas entered the game on a 14-game home losing streak, its longest since the 1993-94 season.

Kidd got a technical along with rookie No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who objected to a non-call on what he thought was a foul. Kidd appeared to be questioning the same non-call, and referee Sean Corbin called the technical.

Kidd had to be restrained by assistant coach Frank Vogel and ended up in an argument with Corbin, who directed an expletive at Kidd as he turned away from the coach.

Marshall was assessed his first technical at the end of the first half, with Desmond Bane making the free throw to start the third quarter. Marshall was on the bench when Bane made a layup just as referee Eric Lewis was blowing his whistle to give Marshall his second technical.

This story is corrected to show Sean Corbin directed an expletive toward Jason Kidd, not Eric Lewis.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, bottom, loses his footing as he works against Dallas Mavericks' Naji Marshall (13) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)