The final of the champions trophy featuring India and New Zealand will take place on 9th of March in Dubai.
Match Preview
The Men in Blue enter this contest on the back of an unbeaten run, having convincingly defeated Bangladesh, defending champions Pakistan, and New Zealand in the group stage before edging past reigning World Champions Australia in the semifinal. However, New Zealand has historically been India’s Achilles’ heel in knockout matches, winning three out of their four encounters in such high-stakes games.
India will once again rely on their ever-consistent top order, particularly the legendary Virat Kohli, who has silenced his critics with yet another stellar campaign. After finishing as the leading run-scorer in the World Cup at one stage, Kohli currently sits in fourth place, just 10 runs behind table-topper Ben Duckett.
With four left-handers featuring in New Zealand’s top eight, India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy will have a crucial role to play. His ability to trouble left-handers could ease the workload of the spin duo of Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, both of whom will be pivotal in restricting the Black Caps in the middle overs.
New Zealand’s rising star Rachin Ravindra, who has earned the moniker “Mr. ICC” from fans after scoring five centuries in just 13 ICC tournament innings, will be a key player against India’s spin stranglehold. If the Black Caps are to lift the Champions Trophy, Ravindra must navigate the middle overs effectively. So far in this tournament, he has amassed 98 runs against spin at a staggering average of 98 and an impressive strike rate of 110.
Another crucial factor will be New Zealand’s fielding, arguably the best in the tournament. Their athleticism was on full display in their previous game against India, where Glenn Phillips and Kane Williamson pulled off two outstanding catches, setting the standard for excellence in the field.
As has often been the case against India, New Zealand will turn to Matt Henry to produce early breakthroughs and disrupt India’s formidable top order. Meanwhile, captain Mitchell Santner, in red-hot form, will be eager to exploit India’s right-hander-heavy batting lineup with his guile and precision.
Probable XIs
India
Rohit Sharma (C) , Shubhman Gill , Virat Kohli , Sheryas Iyer , KL Rahul(wk), Hardik Pandya , Axar Patel , Ravindra Jadeja , Varun Chakrawarthy, Kuldeep Yadav , Mohammed Shmai
New Zealand
Rachin Ravindra , Will Young , Kane Willamson , Daryl Mitchell , Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Philips , Michael Bracewell , Mitchel Santner (C), Kyle Jamieson , Matt Henry , Will O’Rourke
Head to head
India and New Zealand have faced each other in 119 matches, with India winning 61 and New Zealand securing victory in 50. One match ended in a tie, while seven games had no result.
Pitch Report
As has been the trend throughout the tournament, the pitch is expected to be on the slower side, offering assistance to spinners and rewarding bowlers who rely on cutters. With no dew anticipated and the surface likely to deteriorate as the match progresses, chasing could prove to be a daunting task.
Prediction:
Although both teams are in good touch, India are favourites to win the tournament.
Where to watch
India: Jio Hotstar,
Pakistan: Myco, Tapmad, and Tamasha app
UAE and MENA: STARZPLAY
USA and Canada: Streaming on Willow by Cricbuzz app (Hindi coverage available)
Caribbean: ESPN Play Caribbean app
Australia: PrimeVideo
New Zealand: SkyGo app.
South Africa and sub-Saharan territories: SuperSport and SuperSport App
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV
Afghanistan: ATN
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV
