New Zealand Sets Target in Champions Trophy 2025 Final Against India

The highly anticipated final match of the Champions Trophy 2025 saw New Zealand and India battle it out for the trophy at a packed stadium in Dubai. On winning the toss, New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner opted to bat first, setting the stage for a challenging contest.

New Zealand posted a total of 251/7 in their allotted 50 overs. Michael Bracewell and Daryl Mitchell were the architects of this innings, both contributing crucial half-centuries to their side’s score. Daryl Mitchell managed to score 63 runs before being picked off by India’s pace spearhead, Mohammed Shami.

India’s bowlers put on an impressive show, with Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav leading the attack. Varun Chakaravarthy claimed the wickets of Glenn Phillips (34) and Will Young (15), proving essential to slowing New Zealand’s momentum. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav also shone by dismissing key players Kane Williamson (11) and Rachin Ravindra (37).

Ravindra Jadeja contributed to the bowling effort by sending back Tom Latham for a paltry 14. New Zealand entered the game with a strategic change due to injury, replacing Matt Henry with Nathan Smith.

For India, it was a day of struggle in terms of fortune as their captain Rohit Sharma lost his 12th consecutive toss, marking the team’s 15th consecutive lost toss in international matches. However, they decided to retain their winning combination from the previous matches, fielding an unchanged XI.

New Zealand’s past record against India in ICC finals seems to offer them a psychological edge, having beaten India in the 2000 Champions Trophy final and the 2021 World Test Championship. This context added an intriguing dimension to the final.

The pivotal plays of the day included a sharp run-out by Virat Kohli to dismiss New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner and a clever lap shot by Bracewell for a boundary off a low full toss.

The match witnessed intense moments as India’s spinners, particularly Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep, continued to put pressure on New Zealand by claiming vital wickets at crucial stages. With India poised to begin their chase, the match looked set for an exciting finish as India aimed to break their streak of defeats against New Zealand in ICC finals.