INDIA WIN CHAMPIONS TROPHY! 🏆🔥
India are crowned the Champions Trophy winners! Ravindra Jadeja pulls the last ball of the 49th over and smashes it for a four through fine leg!
🇮🇳 India win the match with 4 wickets in hand! 🎉🎊
India on the Brink of Victory
India is on the verge of a thrilling win against New Zealand. Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have steadied the chase, bringing India closer to victory.
Score Update:
🔹 New Zealand: 251/7 (50 overs)
🔹 India: 241/5 (47.2 overs)
🔹 Current Run Rate (CRR): 5.09
🔹 Required Run Rate (REQ): 4.12
India needs 11 runs in 16 balls to seal the win.
Key Players:
- Hardik Pandya: 18* (17) | Strike Rate: 105.88
- KL Rahul: 30 (30) | Strike Rate: 100.00
Bowling:
- Kyle Jamieson: 4.2-0-20-0 | Economy: 4.60
- William O’Rourke: 6-0-47-0 | Economy: 7.80
Key Stats:
- Partnership: 38 runs (35 balls)
- Last Wicket: Axar Patel (29/40), 203/5 in 41.3 overs
- Last 5 Overs: 38 runs, 0 wickets
India is just a few strokes away from victory! 🚀
India on the Brink of Victory
Hardik Pandya has brought India to the brink of victory in the Champions Trophy.
He crunches Will O’Rourke through the off side and brings India closer to a win.
India 206/5 (43 overs) | CRR: 4.79 | REQ: 6.57
India need 46 more runs in 42 balls
🔹 At the crease:
- Hardik Pandya 14(40)
- KL Rahul 14(17)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Michael Bracewell: 10-1-28-2
- Mitchell Santner: 10-0-46-2
Last 5 overs: 23 runs, 2 wickets
Last Wicket: Axar Patel c William O’Rourke b Michael Bracewell 29(40) – 203/5 (41.3 ov)
Can Rahul and Pandya finish this chase? 🇮🇳🔥
India 128/3 (28 overs) | CRR: 4.57 | REQ: 5.64
India need 124 more runs to win
🔹 At the crease:
- Shreyas Iyer *15(28)
- Axar Patel 0(5)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Rachin Ravindra: 8-1-30-1
- Michael Bracewell: 5-1-14-1
Last 5 overs: 11 runs, 1 wicket
Last Wicket: Rohit Sharma st Latham b Rachin Ravindra 76(83) – 122/3 (26.1 ov)
Can India stabilize the chase from here? 🇮🇳🔥
India 122/3 (27 overs) | CRR: 4.52 | REQ: 5.65
India need 130 more runs to win
🔹 At the crease:
- Shreyas Iyer *9(22)
- Axar Patel 0(5)
🔹 Bowler:
- Michael Bracewell: 4-1-8-1
- Rachin Ravindra: 8-1-30-1
Last 5 overs: 7 runs, 1 wicket
Last Wicket: Rohit Sharma st Latham b Rachin Ravindra 76(83) – 122/3 (26.1 ov)
Can India recover from this setback and build a steady chase? 🇮🇳🔥
India 122/2 (25 overs) | CRR: 4.88 | REQ: 5.20
India need 130 more runs to win
🔹 At the crease:
- Rohit Sharma *76(82) 🏏🔥
- Shreyas Iyer 9(16)
🔹 Bowler:
- Michael Bracewell: 3-0-8-1
- Rachin Ravindra: 7-0-30-0
Last 5 overs: 14 runs, 0 wickets
Last Wicket: Virat Kohli lbw b Michael Bracewell 1(2) – 106/2 (19.1 ov)
Can Rohit and Iyer build a solid partnership to steer India towards victory? 🇮🇳🔥
India 117/2 (23 overs) | CRR: 5.09 | REQ: 5.00
India need 135 more runs to win
🔹 At the crease:
- Rohit Sharma *73(72) 🏏🔥
- Shreyas Iyer 7(14)
🔹 Bowler:
- Rachin Ravindra: 6-0-29-0
Last 5 overs: 14 runs, 0 wickets
Last Wicket: Virat Kohli lbw b Michael Bracewell 1(2) – 106/2 (19.1 ov)
Can Rohit and Iyer build a strong partnership to take India closer to victory? 🇮🇳🔥
India 108/2 (20 overs) | CRR: 5.4 | REQ: 4.8
India need 144 more runs to win
🔹 At the crease:
- Rohit Sharma
- Shreyas Iyer
🔹 Bowlers:
- Mitchell Santner: 6-0-20-1
- Michael Bracewell: 1-0-2-1
Last 5 overs: 15 runs, 2 wickets
Last Wicket: Virat Kohli lbw b Michael Bracewell 1(2) – 106/2 (19.1 ov)
Can Rohit Sharma lead India to glory? 🇮🇳🔥
New Zealand 251/7 (50 overs) | CRR: 5.02
🏏 Innings Break
A solid finish from New Zealand as they score 50 runs in the last 5 overs, thanks to an explosive unbeaten 53 from Michael Bracewell.
🔹 At the crease:
- Nathan Smith *0(1)
- Michael Bracewell 53(40)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Mohammed Shami: 9-0-74-1
- Hardik Pandya: 3-0-30-0
Last 5 overs: 50 runs, 2 wickets
Last Wicket: Mitchell Santner (8) run out (Kohli/Rahul)
India needs 252 runs to win the final! Can Rohit Sharma & Co. chase this down and lift the trophy? 🇮🇳
New Zealand 212/6 (46 overs) | CRR: 4.61
Mohammed Shami gets the big breakthrough as he dismisses Daryl Mitchell (63). With just 4 overs to go, New Zealand will now look to finish strong.
🔹 At the crease:
- Mitchell Santner *1(2)
- Michael Bracewell 24(25)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Varun Chakaravarthy: 10-0-45-2
- Mohammed Shami: 7-0-52-1
Last 5 overs: 37 runs, 1 wicket
Last Wicket: Daryl Mitchell (63) caught by Rohit, bowled by Shami
Can India restrict New Zealand under 250? 🇮🇳🔥
New Zealand 201/5 (45 overs) | CRR: 4.47
Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell’s steady partnership has pushed New Zealand past 200. With just 5 overs to go, they will now look to accelerate.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *53(97)
- Michael Bracewell *24(25)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Mohammed Shami: 6-0-41-0
- Varun Chakaravarthy: 10-0-45-2
Last 5 overs: 29 runs, 0 wickets
Last Wicket: Glenn Phillips (34) bowled by Varun Chakaravarthy
Can India restrict New Zealand in the final overs? 🇮🇳🔥
New Zealand 172/5 (40 overs) | CRR: 4.30
India has kept New Zealand in check, restricting them to just 172/5 in 40 overs. Pressure is mounting on the Kiwi batters!
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *48(85)
- Michael Bracewell *3(7)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Kuldeep Yadav: 7-0-28-2
- Ravindra Jadeja: 10-0-30-1
Last 5 overs: 19 runs, 1 wicket
Last Wicket: Glenn Phillips (34) bowled by Varun Chakaravarthy
India will look to bowl New Zealand out before 200! 🇮🇳🔥
New Zealand 165/5 (37.5 overs) | CRR: 4.36
Big breakthrough for India! Varun Chakaravarthy has cleaned up Glenn Phillips, putting New Zealand under pressure.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *44(79)
- Michael Bracewell *0(0)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Varun Chakaravarthy: 7.5-0-37-2
- Axar Patel: 8-0-29-0
Last 5 overs: 19 runs, 1 wicket
Last Wicket: Glenn Phillips (34) bowled by Varun Chakaravarthy
India will now look to wrap up the Kiwi innings quickly! 🔥
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live Score 🏏
New Zealand 156/4 (36 overs) | CRR: 4.33
Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips have built a solid 48-run stand. The Indian bowlers have kept things tight, but they need a breakthrough soon.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *41(76)
- Glenn Phillips *28(44)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Axar Patel: 7-0-24-0
- Ravindra Jadeja: 9-0-26-1
Last 5 overs: 18 runs, 0 wickets
Last Wicket: Tom Latham (14) LBW b Jadeja.
🚨 Drinks Break 🚨
India will look to break this partnership soon to keep New Zealand from posting a big total!
New Zealand 135/4 (30 overs) | CRR: 4.50
Mitchell and Phillips have steadied the innings with a 27-run stand. Indian spinners are still in control.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *32(59)
- Glenn Phillips *17(25)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Kuldeep Yadav: 6-0-25-2
- Ravindra Jadeja: 6-0-16-1
Last 5 overs: 21 runs, 0 wickets
Last Wicket: Tom Latham (14) LBW b Jadeja.
India will be looking for a breakthrough to restrict New Zealand from posting a big total!
New Zealand 110/4 (24 overs) | CRR: 4.58
Indian bowlers continue to dominate! New Zealand needs a solid partnership from Mitchell and Phillips.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *23(45)
- Glenn Phillips *1(3)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Varun Chakaravarthy: 6-0-29-1
- Ravindra Jadeja: 3-0-7-1
Last 5 overs: 11 runs, 1 wicket
Last Wicket: Tom Latham (14) LBW b Jadeja.
India’s spinners are tightening the noose, and New Zealand needs to counterattack soon!
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live Score 🏏
New Zealand 100/4 (20 overs) | CRR: 5.00
Ravindra Jadeja strikes! He traps Tom Latham LBW, just like in the league stage. That time it was a reverse sweep, this time a conventional one. New Zealand loses a review too!
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live Score 🏏
New Zealand 83/3 (15 overs) | CRR: 5.53
New Zealand, after opting to bat first, has struggled against India’s spinners. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham are now trying to stabilize the innings.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *9(22)
- Tom Latham *2(2)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Axar Patel: 2-0-6-0
- Kuldeep Yadav: 3-0-8-2
Last 5 overs: 14 runs, 2 wickets
Last Wicket: Kane Williamson (11) caught and bowled by Kuldeep Yadav.
Drinks Break: Players take a short break to refresh. New Zealand needs a steady partnership, while India will look for another breakthrough.
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live Score 🏏
New Zealand 77/3 (13 overs) | CRR: 5.92
New Zealand opted to bat first but India’s spinners have pulled things back brilliantly.
🔹 At the crease:
- Daryl Mitchell *4(11)
- Tom Latham *1(1)
🔹 Bowlers:
- Axar Patel: 1-0-2-0
- Kuldeep Yadav: 2-0-6-2
Last 5 overs: 19 runs, 2 wickets
Last Wicket: Kane Williamson (11) caught and bowled by Kuldeep Yadav.
India has gained control of the match—can New Zealand recover from this position?
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live: Kuldeep Strikes Again! Williamson Departs 🏏
Kuldeep Yadav is turning it on for India! He has been waiting for wickets in this tournament, and today he is delivering when it matters the most.
Kane Williamson departs after scoring 11 off 14 balls, caught and bowled by Kuldeep Yadav. The New Zealand captain tried to push it back but could only manage to give a simple return catch to the bowler. This is Kuldeep’s second wicket, and he is proving to be a game-changer for India in this crucial final.
New Zealand are now 74/3, and India is tightening its grip on the match!
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live: New Zealand at 73/2 🏏
New Zealand, opting to bat first after winning the toss, are at 73/2 after 11 overs, scoring at a run rate of 6.64. Daryl Mitchell is on 2 off 4 balls, while Kane Williamson remains steady at 10 off 10 deliveries with a strike rate of 100.00.
Varun Chakaravarthy has bowled 3 overs so far, conceding 21 runs with 1 wicket, whereas Kuldeep Yadav, in his first over, picked up a crucial wicket while giving away just 4 runs.
In the last 5 overs, New Zealand have added 27 runs while losing 2 wickets. Rachin Ravindra, who played a brisk knock of 37 off 29 balls, was bowled by Kuldeep Yadav, leaving New Zealand at 69/2 in 10.1 overs. The current partnership between Mitchell and Williamson is at 4 runs from 5 balls.
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live: Kuldeep Strikes! Ravindra Bowled! 🏏
Kuldeep Yadav comes into the attack and strikes immediately! Rachin Ravindra is bowled after scoring 37 off 29 balls, which included four boundaries and one six. This is a massive breakthrough for India as New Zealand lose their second wicket at 69/2. Kuldeep Yadav’s introduction into the attack has paid off instantly, giving India a crucial edge in this final.
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final Live: New Zealand Steady at 69/1 🏏
New Zealand, having opted to bat first after winning the toss, have reached 69/1 after 10 overs, scoring at a run rate of 6.9. Rachin Ravindra is batting on 28 off 37 balls, striking at 132.14 with four boundaries and a six, while Kane Williamson has scored 9 runs off 9 deliveries with a strike rate of 100.00. Mohammed Shami has bowled 5 overs so far, conceding 30 runs without a wicket at an economy of 6.00, while Varun Chakaravarthy has picked up 1 wicket in his 3 overs, giving away 21 runs at an economy of 7.00. In the last 5 overs, New Zealand have scored 30 runs while losing 1 wicket. The current partnership stands at 12 runs from 13 balls.
🔥 INDIA STRIKE!
💥 Varun Chakaravarthy does it again!
🚀 That’s the third chance he has created in this game!
👉 This time, he gets Will Young trapped LBW!
🛑 New Zealand: 35/1 (7.5 Overs) | CRR: 4.46
🔹 New Zealand opt to bat first
Batters:
✅ Rachin Ravindra – 12(19) | SR: 63.16
❌ Will Young – 15(23) [4s-2] | OUT – Varun Chakaravarthy
New Batter In:
🏏 Kane Williamson, right-handed batsman, walks to the crease
Bowler:
🔥 Varun Chakaravarthy – 0.5 Overs, 3 Runs, 1 Wicket, Economy 3.60
📊 Key Stats:
🔹 Partnership: 35(47)
India vs New Zealand, Final – Live Cricket Score 🏏
New Zealand: 10/0 (3 Overs) | CRR: 3.33
🔹 New Zealand opt to bat first
Batters:
✅ Will Young – 7(10) | SR: 70.00 ⭐
✅ Rachin Ravindra – 2(8) | SR: 25.00
Bowlers:
🎯 Hardik Pandya – 1 Over, 2 Runs, 0 Wickets, Economy 2.00
🎯 Mohammed Shami – 2 Overs, 8 Runs, 0 Wickets, Economy 4.00
📊 Key Stats:
🔹 Partnership: 10(18)
India vs New Zealand, Final – Live Cricket Score 🏏
New Zealand: 6/0 (2 Overs) | CRR: 3.00
🔹 New Zealand opt to bat first
Batters:
✅ Rachin Ravindra – 1(5) | SR: 20.00 ⭐
✅ Will Young – 4(7) | SR: 57.14
Bowlers:
🎯 Mohammed Shami – 1 Over, 4 Runs, 0 Wickets, Economy 4.00
🎯 Hardik Pandya – 1 Over, 2 Runs, 0 Wickets, Economy 2.00
📊 Key Stats:
🔹 Partnership: 6(12)
India vs New Zealand, Final – Live Cricket Score 🏏
New Zealand: 4/0 (1 Over) | CRR: 4.00
🔹 New Zealand opt to bat first
Batters:
✅ Rachin Ravindra – 0(0) | SR: 0.00
✅ Will Young – 4(6) | SR: 66.67
Bowler:
🎯 Mohammed Shami – 1 Over, 4 Runs, 0 Wickets, Economy 4.00
📊 Key Stats:
🔹 Partnership: 4(6)
Will Young and Ravindra at the Crease 🏏
Will Young is on strike, and Mohammed Shami will open the attack for India. The first ball of the big final is about to be bowled – let’s see how New Zealand’s innings unfolds!
It’s Nearly Time for Live Action! 🔥🏏
The stage is set, the teams are ready, and the anticipation is at its peak. Will India continue their dominant run, or will New Zealand rewrite history? The toss is done, the players are gearing up – just moments away from the live action!
Most Consecutive Tosses Lost by a Captain in ODIs
1️⃣ 12 – Rohit Sharma (Nov 2023 – Mar 2025) 🏏*️⃣
2️⃣ 12 – Brian Lara (Oct 1998 – May 1999)
3️⃣ 11 – Peter Borren (Mar 2011 – Aug 2013)
📌 India have now lost 15 consecutive tosses in ODIs, with Rohit Sharma losing 12 of them as captain.
Pitch and Conditions:
“All to play for, this is the big final. Dubai is getting warmer, but it is not that bad right now, a bit of cloud around and a high of 31 degrees, no chance of rain. Dimensions – over point it is 66 meters, over square leg it is 66 meters as well, and 76 meters straight down the ground. It looks like a pretty dry surface. This is bone dry, and it is a used wicket. You win the toss and bat first on this surface. It will get harder and harder to bat as the game goes on. Pace off will be the way to go for the bowlers. Most finals are won in the head. It will turn a little bit. If you win the toss, you bat first,” reckon Rameez Raja and Aaron Finch.
Teams:
New Zealand (Playing XI): Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke, Nathan Smith.
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Rohit Sharma: Toss Doesn’t Matter, Performance Does
Rohit Sharma: “We’ve been here enough, batted first and bowled first, don’t really mind batting second. It hasn’t changed much, we’ve chased and won as well. It does give you a lot of confidence, takes the toss away from the game. At the end of the day, what matters is how well you want to play. That’s what we’ve spoken about in the dressing room, not to worry about the toss and to just play well, that’s what we’ve done and we have to do today as well. New Zealand have been a very good team over the past so many years, they tend to play good cricket in ICC tournaments. The challenge for us is to play well against them now. Same team for us.”
New Zealand Win the Toss, Opt to Bat First
Mitchell Santner: “We’re going to have a bat first. Looks like a pretty good wicket, similar to the one we played India here a week ago. Want to get runs on the board and see what happens. Obviously, expected a few blue shirts, great atmosphere, great ground. Going to be slightly different from what we got in Pakistan. We saw how India played and what they got out of it. Hope it slows down a bit later.”
INDIA vs NEW ZEALAND – The Final Showdown
“This is far and away the greatest moment of my New Zealand career,” said Chris Cairns after leading New Zealand to victory 25 years ago. If New Zealand triumph tonight, some of their players might echo the same sentiment. For India, this match is as much about experiencing the ecstasy of victory as it is about avoiding the agony of defeat.
India hold the advantage—something they firmly established when they comfortably beat New Zealand in the group stage. If New Zealand want to ensure that match wasn’t just a prelude to this final, their batters will need to show considerable resilience against India’s spin assault. No doubt, extensive planning has gone into countering it, but execution will be the real test. The pitch being used today is the same one from the India-Pakistan clash. That was two weeks ago, and a typically slow, dry Dubai surface would have likely changed very little. For India, it’s all about replicating the process that has served them so well one last time.
What went wrong for New Zealand in that game is exactly what has gone right for India all along. Their spinners have been a cut above the rest, and the inclusion of Varun Chakaravarthy, who was instrumental in dismantling New Zealand the other night, has transformed their potent trio into a fearsome quartet. The joy of seeing Virat Kohli back in form was amplified by India’s semi-final win over Australia. A flawless run through the group stage—where they cruised past Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand—followed by their emphatic win in the semi-final, means India enter this final unbeaten.
New Zealand cricket is on an upward trajectory. Their Test side whitewashed India in India, the women’s team won the T20 World Cup, and this squad came into the tournament with the best possible momentum after sweeping the tri-series in Pakistan. They comfortably beat Pakistan and Bangladesh in the group stage, and their semi-final win over South Africa was clinical. Their batters have been in sublime touch, their two spinners have done their job effectively, Matt Henry (whose fitness status we await) has spearheaded their pace attack brilliantly, and their fielding has been outstanding. The only lingering question heading into the final is their group-stage loss to India.
INDIA vs NEW ZEALAND – 25 Years Later, A New Battle
It’s the year 2000, on an October morning in Nairobi, and India are taking on New Zealand in the final of the ICC Knockout Trophy. India get off to a flying start. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar are in sublime touch, and by the halfway mark, they seem set to breach the 300-run mark—an imposing total back then. But New Zealand claw their way back, or so it appears, as India wrestle control once more. Defending 265, they have New Zealand struggling at 135/5 after 25 overs. Yet, before dusk settles over the Gymkhana, Chris Cairns’ unbeaten 102* takes New Zealand not just to victory but to their maiden ICC Trophy triumph.
Cut to 25 years later, and these two sides are gearing up to face off once more. It’s a different era in a different world, and even the tournament they’re competing for now goes by a different name. But the essence and the emotion remain unchanged. The grit and determination that New Zealand displayed on that historic night could well be the defining factors that set these two teams apart once again tonight.
INDIA vs NEW ZEALAND – Champions Trophy 2025 Final
Predicted XIs
India are unlikely to make any changes to their playing XI. New Zealand might be forced to make a change if Matt Henry is not fully fit. Henry sustained an injury while diving forward to take a catch against South Africa, which could rule him out of the final. That would be unfortunate, as he took five wickets against India in the previous match.
India’s Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy.
New Zealand’s Predicted XI: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke, Matt Henry/Nathan Smith.
Aakhir Tak – In Shorts
- India and New Zealand clash in the Champions Trophy Final.
- Rohit Sharma’s India aims for another ICC title.
- Kane Williamson might be playing his last ODI.
- India defeated Australia in the semi-final, New Zealand beat South Africa.
- Spinners are likely to play a crucial role in the final.
Aakhir Tak – In Depth
India and New Zealand face each other in the final of the Champions Trophy on Sunday, March 9. This highly anticipated title clash could be a defining moment for Rohit Sharma as the captain of the Indian team. Rohit Sharma is a powerhouse in both ODIs and T20s, and his status as one of the greatest batters in the history of the game is well established. India vs NZ is a high-stakes clash that fans around the world eagerly anticipate. However, winning the Champions Trophy as captain would elevate him to the league of legends.
Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy
Since taking over the captaincy in the latter stages of his career, Rohit has instilled a fearless approach that eliminates the fear of failure. This mindset has undoubtedly revolutionised India’s white-ball cricket, helping the team recover from the setbacks of 2021 and 2022. Rohit has ensured that India has caught up with the fast-paced nature of modern white-ball cricket – an approach that saw Eoin Morgan’s England lift the World Cup in 2019.
Rohit’s Aggressive Style
Rohit Sharma set his template with an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket during the 2023 ODI World Cup. He maintained that high-tempo game throughout the tournament. In fact, Rohit scored at a strike rate above 130 in 6 out of 10 matches in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He later carried that template into the Sri Lanka series (2024), scoring at a 130 SR in 2 out of 3 matches. Keep in mind, the conditions in that Sri Lanka series were tougher than those in the Champions Trophy.
Kane Williamson’s Experience
Facing Rohit is Mitchell Santner, who has also been handed the captaincy in the final third of his career. Santner is captaining in his first-ever ICC final at the age of 33. A battle-hardened, often underrated spinner, he has all the tricks in the books to cause an upset. Santner also has the support of an evergreen Kane Williamson, who may also be playing his last game in the format. Currently a freelancer with the New Zealand side, Williamson might opt out of continuing until 2027, when the next ODI World Cup is held. At 34, and after multiple injuries over the last four years, Williamson might be motivated to give his all in the final match against India.
Shubman Gill’s Opinion
Shubman Gill, India’s vice-captain, believes that desperation is not always a good thing. Speaking ahead of the final in Dubai, India’s vice-captain said that desperation can sometimes lead to a loss of focus.
Importance of Spinners
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Champions Trophy Final is going to be decided by the spinners. Even if the game is played on a fresh surface, which it might not be, both camps agreed in the pre-match press conference that the natural character of the pitch will not change in this game. India have carried the largest number of spinners in the tournament. In fact, they have played four spinners in their last two matches.
India vs NZ: Head to Head
India and New Zealand have played 119 ODIs. India have won 61 matches while New Zealand have won 50. One game was tied, while 7 bore no results. In the Champions Trophy, New Zealand beat India in the final, way back in 2000.
Dubai Pitch Report
If reports are accurate and the final is played on the same pitch as the India vs Pakistan clash. In that case the used surface will be sluggish, handing the spinners a big advantage later in the game.
Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember
- India and New Zealand are facing each other in the Champions Trophy Final.
- Under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, India are aiming for another ICC title.
- This could be Kane Williamson’s last ODI match.
- India defeated Australia in the semi-final, while New Zealand beat South Africa.
- Spinners are expected to play a significant role in the final.
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