The final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 between India and New Zealand is set to be played at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The weather and pitch conditions in Dubai are expected to be significant factors in the match.
Dubai is known for its hot weather, and temperatures are predicted to be around 32 degrees Celsius. This heat, combined with a pitch that favors spin bowlers, will likely influence the captain’s decision at the coin toss. Teams often prefer to chase a target in such afternoon heat. However, because dew has been minimal at this venue, batting first could be a viable strategy if a team can score a good total.
Throughout the tournament, the Dubai pitch has helped spin bowlers. It offers turn, which makes it harder for batsmen to play freely as the ball gets older. The best time for batting has been during the Powerplay overs when the ball is new and comes onto the bat well. As the game progresses, batsmen have to adjust to the slower pace of the pitch. A similar pattern is expected for the final, emphasizing the importance of aggressive batting early on and steady consolidation in the middle overs.
India, who are undefeated in the tournament, will be confident going into this final match. They have already defeated New Zealand at the same venue in a group stage game last Sunday. However, New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, has historically been a tough opponent for India in major ICC events, having won crucial knockout matches against them before.
New Zealand will be encouraged by their dominant victory over South Africa in the semi-final and will aim to change their fortunes against India in this final.
A key player for India with the ball will be the mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. He was very effective against the New Zealand batting lineup in their previous encounter. However, New Zealand batsmen will have faced him once already and should be better prepared to handle his variations this time.
On the other side, New Zealand will rely on the left-arm spin of Mitchell Santner. Santner’s spin bowling has troubled India in the past and could be a significant threat to their middle order.
For India’s batting, Rohit Sharma’s performance at the top of the order will be vital. After a strong innings against Bangladesh at the start of the tournament, Rohit’s form has dipped. A fast start from Rohit against New Zealand’s strong bowling attack could put pressure on the Blackcaps early in the innings. For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner, who played a crucial role in their semi-final win against South Africa with his bowling, will be key to controlling India’s strong batting lineup.
