On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon engaged in extensive discussions in New Delhi aimed at enhancing their countries' relationship. Interestingly, as Luxon humorously pointed out, cricket was not on the agenda. When asked why, PM Modi couldn't help but laugh at Luxon's comment about intentionally steering clear of the sport to avoid a "diplomatic incident," especially considering the competitive history between their men's cricket teams in recent tournaments. "I truly appreciate that PM Modi didn't bring up New Zealand's loss to India in the Champions Trophy, and I refrained from mentioning our Test wins in India. Let's keep it that way to steer clear of any diplomatic mishaps," Luxon joked, prompting laughter from everyone present.
PM Modi's candid response showed his enjoyment of the playful cricket exchange, and former New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor, who was part of the visiting group, also shared in the laughter.
India triumphed over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final on March 9, marking their first International Cricket Council title in a 50-over format since 2013. In previous major tournaments, New Zealand had often been a formidable opponent for India, akin to Holyfield facing Tyson. India faced a setback when they lost to New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2019 ODI World Cup, and the Black Caps were instrumental in India's early elimination from the 2022 T20 World Cup.
However, India made a strong comeback by eliminating New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinals, delivering a convincing victory in Mumbai. In 2024, New Zealand returned to India and made history by achieving the first-ever Test series whitewash against the hosts. Under the leadership of Tom Latham, they outperformed Rohit Sharma's team, winning all three matches and significantly impacting India's chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final. Ultimately, India fell short of reaching the final after suffering a 1-3 series defeat in Australia earlier this year.
Rohit Sharma and his team exacted their revenge in the 2025 Champions Trophy by achieving a double victory over New Zealand. After triumphing over the BlackCaps in the group stage, India showcased their dominance against a Mitchell Santner-led squad in the final, with captain Rohit spearheading a successful chase of 252 runs.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)