Sun Mar 02 11:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Axar Patel’s Stunning Catch Revives India in Champions Trophy Clash
**Dubai, UAE:** Axar Patel’s breathtaking diving catch to dismiss New Zealand opener Rachin Ravindra injected much-needed momentum into India’s chase in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The crucial wicket, taken in the fourth over off a Hardik Pandya delivery, came after a shaky start for India, who were striving to recover from a below-par first innings total of 249/9.
Ravindra mistimed an uppercut, sending the ball soaring towards deep third where Patel, displaying incredible athleticism, ran forward and took a spectacular diving catch. The catch was reminiscent of his stunning catch of Mitchell Marsh in last year’s T20 World Cup. This pivotal moment came after a contrasting display of fielding between the two sides, with Varun Chakravarthy earlier conceding a boundary by misjudging a ball in the air.
New Zealand, who had earlier dominated with both bat and ball, restricting India to a modest total, found themselves at 17/1 after four overs following Ravindra’s dismissal. Will Young and Kane Williamson are at the crease as India look to leverage Patel’s crucial wicket and capitalize on the spin-friendly Dubai pitch. Axar, in excellent form with five wickets in his last three ODIs, is expected to play a significant role with the ball as well. The match is currently live on Star Sports and JioHotstar.
First Piper 