Mohammed Shami drops NZ's Rachin Ravindra in Champions Trophy finale, leaves Rohit Sharma and fans frustrated; Watch video

India pacer Mohammed Shami had an eventful start to the Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

In the seventh over, Shami dropped a crucial caught-and-bowled chance off Rachin Ravindra, giving the in-form Kiwi batter a lifeline. The missed opportunity left skipper Rohit Sharma visibly frustrated, as India hoped to break New Zealand’s strong start.

Bowling to Rachin, Shami sent down a full delivery at the stumps, which was driven powerfully straight back at him. The veteran pacer attempted a reverse-cup catch over his left shoulder, but the ball ricocheted off his little finger, slipping away for a single. Shami immediately looked in discomfort, prompting the physio to rush onto the field and tape his fingers.



This was not Shami’s first dropped chance in the tournament. In the semi-final against Australia, he had put down two similar return catches, making this his third drop in Champions Trophy knockout matches.

Before the drop, Rachin Ravindra had already raced to 28 off 20 balls, taking on India’s pace attack. Following the reprieve from Shami, the left-hander survived yet another scare in the very next over.

Facing Varun Chakaravarthy, Rachin was given out caught behind, but a successful DRS review overturned the decision. Just a ball later, he tried to take on Varun again, launching him toward the boundary, but Shreyas Iyer dropped him near the ropes, adding to India's missed opportunities.

Eventually, Rachin’s luck ran out in the 11th over when Kuldeep Yadav dismissed him on his very first delivery. The left-arm wrist-spinner got one to spin sharply past Rachin’s bat, hitting the top of off stump. The Kiwi batter walked back after scoring 37 off 29 balls, leaving New Zealand at 69 for 2.

Rohit Sharma's frustrated reaction

The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was visibly disappointed after Shami’s drop. He was seen shaking his head and having a quick word with the bowler. The frustration was evident as the team had spoken about capitalizing on early chances in such a high-pressure final.

At the toss, Rohit had emphasized that New Zealand is a strong side in ICC tournaments and that India needed to be clinical in the field. However, back-to-back dropped catches added to India’s struggles in the opening overs.

Fans react

Shami’s drop sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with fans expressing both frustration, pointing out his struggles in big matches.

"Shami ghosting on the big day." – A disappointed fan tweeted.