Listen to this article

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final has brought excitement and anticipation as India faced New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. In a highly charged atmosphere, the match promised thrilling action between two formidable teams.

India required 252 runs to win the match after New Zealand set a target of 251/7. New Zealand’s innings was spearheaded by significant contributions from Daryl Mitchell, who scored 63, and Michael Bracewell with 53 runs. Mitchell Santner, serving as captain, won the toss and opted to bat first under the warm and stable Dubai weather, with a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius and no rain expected.

The Indian innings began impressively with Rohit Sharma reaching his half-century in the 11th over, demonstrating aggressive play with three sixes and four fours by that point. Accompanying him, Shubman Gill provided steady support as India advanced to an encouraging 65/0 by the 11th over.

New Zealand had to contend with the absence of captain Kane Williamson from the field after he sustained a quadriceps injury while batting. Mark Chapman stepped in as his substitute on the field. Despite Williamson’s absence, New Zealand’s strategy aimed to leverage their past success over India in ICC knockout games, where they held a 3-1 advantage.

Rohit Sharma expressed that the team was unwavering in their confidence regardless of toss outcomes, focusing solely on performance excellence.

The match was available for viewers through live telecasts on the Star Sports Network and streaming on the JioHotstar platform, allowing fans to follow this exciting contest between the cricket powerhouses.

Share this post!