The last time India and New Zealand met in a final of an ICC white-ball tournament, in 2000, the world of cricket was different. That tournament was called ICC Knockout, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) ruled the sport’s landscape, cricket in the Middle East just meant Sharjah and T20s did not exist.
A quarter of a century later, the same outfits will square off for glory and $2.24 million prize money when they meet in the summit clash of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The two sides appeared the most sorted among the eight in the lead-up to the event, and it is not wholly surprising they have made it thus far.
On the batting front, both have openers who can give blazing starts, a talismanic player at No. 3 who can anchor an innings while maintaining a high strike-rate and highly skilled batters lower down who can switch gears seamlessly.
In bowling, New Zealand has a slightly better pace attack with its tall quicks who can move the ball around and generate awkward bounce. The spin-bowling department is not short of options either, marshalled by the wily Mitchell Santner.
India, on the other hand, has an eclectic mix of wicket-taking tweakers – two left-arm orthodox spinners, a left-arm wrist-spinner and a right-arm mystery spinner.
India’s Shubman Gill (C) and Virat Kohli (R) during a practice session.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
India’s Shubman Gill (C) and Virat Kohli (R) during a practice session.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Rohit Sharma’s men have lived up to their billing as the tournament favourites, reaching the final unbeaten. The squad’s success thus far has been the epitome of teamwork with nearly every member who has stepped on to the park making a significant contribution.
Captain Rohit may not have big scores but has led from the front through his uncompromisingly aggressive approach in the PowerPlay. Virat Kohli has played a vital role in victories against Pakistan and Australia (semifinal), making tricky chases look easy.
The middle- and lower-orders too have stepped up, and the experience of getting the team out of delicate situations could come in handy in a high-pressure game.
The slow surfaces in Dubai have allowed the spinners to rule the roost through the middle-overs, and boundaries have been hard to come by. It is here that India, the top-ranked outfit in the world, has managed to trump every opponent.
The pitch for the final will be the same as the one used for the India versus Pakistan clash two weeks ago. The former chased down 242 that day, and the surface is expected to behave similarly, helping slower bowlers.
If there is one team that can stop India, it is New Zealand, which has the required all-around balance. However, the Kiwis lost to India here a week ago when Varun Chakaravarthy ran through their batting order. They will now need their batters to find a way to put pressure on the Men in Blue’s spin quartet.
The end of a big tournament often brings speculations senior players’ retirement. Australia’s Steve Smith called it quits from ODIs after the semifinal loss on Tuesday. There has been some chatter about whether Rohit could hang up his ODI boots after Sunday, considering he will be nearly 40 when the 2027 World Cup comes.
Guiding India to a second-straight ICC title after the T20 World Cup last year could be the perfect farewell for one of the greatest ODI players of this generation.