ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final between India (IND) and New Zealand (NZ)

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final between India (IND) and New Zealand (NZ), which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since this match has not yet occurred as of my current date (March 8, 2025), I cannot provide the exact details of the players who will play in the final or confirm the precise lineup. However, I can give you a detailed overview based on the most recent information available from the tournament, including the squads, key players, and the scheduled timing.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final Match Details

• Event: ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final
• Teams: India vs. New Zealand
• Date: Sunday, March 9, 2025
• Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE
• Start Time:
  • 1:00 PM local time (Dubai, UTC+4)
  • 9:00 AM GMT
  • 2:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time)
  • Toss: Scheduled for 30 minutes prior, at 2:00 PM IST / 12:30 PM Dubai time
• Duration: As a 50-over One Day International (ODI) match, it is expected to last approximately 7-8 hours, barring interruptions, concluding around 9:30 PM IST / 6:00 PM Dubai time.

Context Leading to the Final

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final India and New Zealand secured their places in the final through impressive performances in the tournament:

• India topped Group A and defeated Australia by 4 wickets in the first semifinal on March 4, 2025, in Dubai. They have remained unbeaten in the tournament, with key victories including a 44-run win over New Zealand in the group stage on March 2, 2025.
• New Zealand finished second in Group A but advanced to the final after a commanding 50-run victory over South Africa in the second semifinal on March 5, 2025, in Lahore, posting a total of 362/6.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final marks the first time in 25 years that India and New Zealand will face off in a white-ball ICC tournament final, the last being the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy (predecessor to the Champions Trophy), which New Zealand won.

Squads and Likely Players

Below are the squads for both teams as announced for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final. The final playing XI for each team will be confirmed at the toss on March 9, 2025, but I’ll highlight the probable players based on their performances in the tournament so far.

India Squad

• Full Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
• Key Performers in the Tournament:
  • Rohit Sharma (c): The captain has been in aggressive form, setting the tone at the top.
  • Virat Kohli: Scored an unbeaten century (100*) against Pakistan in the group stage and has been a consistent run-scorer.
  • Shubman Gill: Made a century (100) against Bangladesh in the opening match.
  • Shreyas Iyer: Scored 79 in the group-stage win over New Zealand and 56 against Pakistan, proving his knack for big games against NZ.
  • Varun Chakravarthy: Took a sensational 5/42 in his tournament debut against New Zealand in the group stage.
  • Hardik Pandya: Contributed with bat (e.g., a cameo in the group stage) and ball (2/31 vs. Pakistan).
  • Mohammed Shami: Leading bowler with 5 wickets in the tournament.
  • Kuldeep Yadav: Took 3/40 against Pakistan, effective on Dubai’s spin-friendly pitch.
  • KL Rahul (w): Likely to keep wickets and stabilize the middle order.
• Probable Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh/Harshit Rana
  • Note: India has stuck with a winning combination, and it’s unlikely they’ll change much unless injuries or strategy (e.g., adding an extra pacer like Arshdeep Singh) dictate otherwise.

New Zealand Squad

• Full Squad: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke, Daryl Mitchell, Nathan Smith, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy
• Key Performers in the Tournament:
  • Rachin Ravindra: Scored a century in the semifinal against South Africa (exact figures not specified but pivotal in the 362/6 total) and 112 vs. Bangladesh in the group stage; has 4 centuries in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final, ICC ODI events, a NZ record.
  • Kane Williamson: Top-scored with 81 in the group-stage loss to India and a century in the semifinal vs. South Africa.
  • Tom Latham (w): Leading run-scorer for NZ in the tournament with 173 runs; will keep wickets.
  • Daryl Mitchell: Scored a quick 49 in the semifinal to boost NZ’s total.
  • Matt Henry: Tournament’s leading wicket-taker (exact tally unspecified but includes a 5-wicket haul vs. India earlier); his participation in the final is uncertain due to an injury sustained in the semifinal.
  • Mitchell Santner (c): Took 7 wickets at an economy of 4.85; provides spin and leadership.
  • William O’Rourke: Joint-top wicket-taker for NZ with 5 wickets.
• Probable Playing XI: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (w), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry (if fit)/Kyle Jamieson, Michael Bracewell, William O’Rourke
  • Note: Matt Henry’s fitness is a concern; if unfit, Kyle Jamieson or Jacob Duffy could step in.

Pitch and Conditions

• The Dubai pitch has been described as sluggish, favoring spinners as the game progresses. India’s spinners (Chakravarthy, Kuldeep, Jadeja) dominated NZ in their earlier encounter here, while NZ will rely on Santner and Bracewell.
• Weather on March 9, 2025, is forecast to be sunny with temperatures starting at 34°C (93°F) at 1:00 PM and dropping to 28°C (82°F) by evening, with no rain expected.

Where to Watch

• India: Live telecast on Star Sports Network; streaming on JioHotstar.
• USA/Canada: Available on Fubo TV.
• Global: Check local listings or ICC’s official broadcast partners.

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Historical Context

The last time India and New Zealand met in a Champions Trophy final was in 2000 (then called the ICC Knockout Trophy), where NZ chased 265 to win by 4 wickets, thanks to Chris Cairns’ unbeaten 102*. India, batting first, scored 264/6 with Sourav Ganguly (117) and Sachin Tendulkar (69) starring. This 2025 final offers NZ a chance to repeat history and India an opportunity to reclaim the title they last won in 2013.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final, Since the match hasn’t happened yet, the exact playing XIs and performances remain speculative. For real-time updates on March 9, 2025,