The Champions Trophy has seen many bowlers deliver outstanding performances, especially against strong teams like India. Over the years, some bowlers have made history by taking crucial wickets at the right time. One such performance happened in the Champions Trophy 2025, when Matt Henry delivered a match-winning spell. Let’s take a look at the top bowling performances against India in the history of the Champions Trophy.
- Douglas Hondo (2002) took 4/62 against India in Colombo.
- Shoaib Akhtar (2004) dismantled India with 4/36 in Birmingham.
- Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (2004) recorded an economical 4/25 in the same match.
- Matt Henry (2025) created history with a five-wicket haul (5/42) in Dubai.
4. Douglas Hondo (Zimbabwe) – 4/62, Colombo, 2002
In the 2002 Champions Trophy, Zimbabwe’s Douglas Hondo put up a memorable performance against India at Colombo’s RPS Stadium. He took four wickets in his nine-over spell, conceding 62 runs. His victims included:
- Sourav Ganguly
- Dinesh Mongia
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Yuvraj Singh
Despite Hondo’s effort, India set a target of 288 and won the match by 14 runs. However, his bowling spell remains one of the best against India in the Champions Trophy.
3. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) – 4/36, Birmingham, 2004
In the 2004 Champions Trophy, Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar, known as the “Rawalpindi Express,” delivered a fiery spell against India in Birmingham. He took four wickets for 36 runs in 9.5 overs, dismantling India’s batting lineup. His key wickets included:
- Mohammed Kaif
- Yuvraj Singh
- Irfan Pathan
- Ashish Nehra
India was bowled out for 200 in 49.5 overs, and Pakistan chased down the target in the final over, winning by three wickets.
2. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (Pakistan) – 4/25, Birmingham, 2004
In the same 2004 Champions Trophy match, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan delivered an even better bowling performance than Shoaib Akhtar. He took four wickets for just 25 runs in nine overs, maintaining an excellent economy rate of 2.77. His victims were:
- VVS Laxman
- Virender Sehwag
- Rahul Dravid
- Ajit Agarkar
His spell ensured that India struggled to reach 200 runs, helping Pakistan secure a semi-final spot.
1. Matt Henry (New Zealand) – 5/42, Dubai, 2025
The most recent entry in this list comes from the Champions Trophy 2025, where New Zealand’s Matt Henry stunned India with a five-wicket haul at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. His key wickets included:
- Shubman Gill (3rd over)
- Virat Kohli (7th over)
- Hardik Pandya
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Mohammed Shami
Henry finished with 5/42 in eight overs, bowling at an economy of 5.20. His early breakthroughs rattled the Indian batting lineup, restricting them to 249/9 in 50 overs.
These performances highlight how bowlers have dominated India in the Champions Trophy, making history with their match-winning spells.
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