The action is now ready for a pulsating Champions Trophy 2025 final with Rohit Sharma’s India set to face Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. India has dominated the tournament thus far, having not lost a single game, while New Zealand suffered a loss at the hands of the Men in Blue in the group stages.
New Zealand does have some experience of the Dubai conditions, as they played their group stage match against India at the very same ground. Although losing out to India in the group stage, the Kiwis fought hard, but Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery spin was the turning point.
Weather Report: Hot Conditions Expected In Dubai
As per AccuWeather, the temperature in Dubai is likely to be around 32°C during the final. In contrast to some other grounds, dew has not been a key factor in second innings at this ground, so chasing teams will not gain much advantage.
With the hot weather and the pressure of a last match, the toss might prove to be decisive. Teams winning the toss would likely choose to bat first, hoping to post a fighting total and allow their spinners to take charge in the second innings.
Dubai Pitch Report: A Low-Scoring Challenge Likely
The Dubai pitch has tended to be slower, producing low-scoring games in comparison to the Pakistani surfaces. Spinners have ruled at this ground, and it gets increasingly difficult to bat as the ball ages and softens in the latter part of the innings.
With limited assistance for fast bowlers, teams will likely look to make the most of the powerplay overs when the ball is new and easier to hit. Expect batters to take advantage of the first 10 overs, as scoring rates tend to drop sharply in the death overs due to the sluggish nature of the surface.
Also Read: IND Vs NZ: Will Rohit Sharma Retire? Shubman Gill Reacts Ahead Of Champions Trophy Final
A Tough Battle Of Strategy And Adaptability
With the spinners likely to play an instrumental role and batting becoming increasingly difficult as the match progresses, both teams will have to strategize in advance. New Zealand will have to devise a means to cope with Varun Chakravarthy, while India will try to make the most of their knowledge of the terrain. The final will be an intriguing clash of two of the tournament’s top teams.
