Dubai – The much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand is underway at the Dubai International Stadium. New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first in the high-stakes title clash.
Injury Blow for New Zealand, Nathan Smith Replaces Matt Henry
In a significant setback for the Black Caps, star pacer Matt Henry has been ruled out of the final due to a shoulder injury sustained during their semifinal win against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Nathan Smith has been drafted into the playing XI as his replacement.
Meanwhile, India, led by Rohit Sharma, has opted to stick with their winning combination, fielding an unchanged XI for the final showdown.
Captains’ Views After the Toss
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain):
“We’re going to bat first. The pitch looks good, similar to the one we played against India last week. Want to get runs on the board and see how it plays out. Expected a fantastic atmosphere with plenty of blue shirts in the stands. Losing Matt Henry is unfortunate, but Nathan Smith steps in.”
Rohit Sharma (India Captain):
“We’re fine with batting second; we’ve done well chasing. What matters is playing good cricket and sticking to our plans. New Zealand is a strong side in ICC tournaments, and we respect their consistency. However, our focus is on executing our game plan.”
Road to the Final
India and New Zealand both entered the final after impressive semifinal performances.
- India defeated Australia to secure their spot.
- New Zealand outclassed South Africa in a dominant display.
Interestingly, both teams were in Group A and had already faced off earlier in the tournament. India, the only unbeaten side in the event, won that group-stage clash convincingly by 44 runs.
Playing XIs for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final
India Playing XI:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Shami
- Varun Chakaravarthy
New Zealand Playing XI:
- Will Young
- Rachin Ravindra
- Kane Williamson
- Tom Latham (wk)
- Daryl Mitchell
- Glenn Phillips
- Michael Bracewell
- Mitchell Santner (c)
- Kyle Jamieson
- William O’Rourke
- Nathan Smith
Stay tuned for live score updates, match analysis, and key moments from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final!
