The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on March 9. While the match is still a few days away, it has already been confirmed which pitch will be used. With the pitch report now available, it is clear whether it will favor spinners or allow batters to dominate. Interestingly, the final will not be played on a fresh pitch. Instead, it will be the same surface where a league match was previously held, a match that Team India won. This news brings some relief to the Indian team, but beating New Zealand won’t be an easy task.
Champions Trophy Final to Be Played on the Same Pitch as India vs Pakistan Match
Reports suggest that the final between India and New Zealand will take place on the same pitch that was used for the India vs Pakistan match on February 23. India comfortably won that match, and it is expected that the pitch will favor spinners, making it difficult for teams to score big runs. A slow pitch is an advantage for India, but New Zealand also has quality spinners who can trouble Indian batters.
India Dominated Pakistan on This Pitch
In the India vs Pakistan match, Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and chose to bat first. Except for Saud Shakeel, no Pakistani batter managed to score a half-century. Indian spinners played a crucial role, with Kuldeep Yadav taking three wickets, while Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja picked up one each, making a total of five wickets for the spinners. India played with three pacers and three spinners in that match, but now their playing XI also includes Varun Chakravarthy, who could be a game-changer. If New Zealand’s batters struggle against him, it won’t be surprising.
Virat Kohli Scored a Century, Shreyas Iyer Hit a Half-Century on This Pitch
In the India vs Pakistan match, Pakistan scored 241 runs, and India chased it down in just 42.2 overs, winning by six wickets. Virat Kohli remained unbeaten with a century (100*), while Shreyas Iyer scored 56 runs. Although India won the match comfortably, Pakistan’s spinners also performed well. Abrar Ahmed gave away only 28 runs in his 10 overs and picked up a wicket. This indicates that India needs to be cautious while batting.
IND vs NZ, Final- Dubai Pitch Report
So far in the Champions Trophy matches played in Dubai, spinners have had a significant impact, and high scores have been rare. The average score on this pitch is 246 runs, which is quite low for an ODI. Now that the pitch has been confirmed, it is almost certain that India will go with four spinners in their playing XI. This increases their chances of winning. It will be interesting to see how both captains plan their strategies during the match.
