Dubai

In front of a sold-out crowd and a throbbing atmosphere, India and New Zealand, two modern-day giants with rich cricketing histories, will fight for the coveted title of the Champions Trophy in the finals here today.

India, who are unbeaten in the Champions trophy so far, are aiming for their third Champions Trophy title, while New Zealand are seeking their third, having last won the competition in 2013.

The Men in Blue have been in sublime form, registering four consecutive wins, including a four-wicket triumph over Australia in the semifinals.

They topped Group A with wins over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while the Blackcaps secured victories against Pakistan and Bangladesh before losing to India in their final group-stage clash. In the semifinals, New Zealand outclassed South Africa by 50 runs to book a rematch with India.

Despite India’s recent dominance, history favours New Zealand in ICC knockout matches. The two sides have met four times in such encounters, with the Black Caps holding a 3-1 edge. Their victories came in the 2000 Champions Trophy final, the 2019 semifinal, and the 2021 World Test Championship final. However, India managed to break the jinx in the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged the magnitude of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final but stressed the importance of maintaining a composed approach as his team prepares to face an in-form Indian side in Dubai on Sunday. 

Speaking to the media on the eve of the title clash, Santner admitted that while the final is no ordinary match, the Black Caps will stick to their tried-and-tested methods.

"It's easy to say it's just another game—it’s obviously not. But I think the way you approach it has to be the same," Santner remarked. "We've done a lot of good stuff this tournament. Now, it's about continuing to build on those positives and take this team forward."

New Zealand have already faced India in the group stage, suffering a loss at the same venue. However, Santner believes that familiarity with conditions in Dubai will help his team approach the contest with added confidence. "We've been playing some good cricket, and the mix of experience and younger players in this squad has come together well. The key now is to not get overawed by the occasion, keep things relaxed, and focus on the process," he added.

The Black Caps' preparations, however, include a lingering injury concern, with the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Matt Henry, still in doubt for the final after hurting his shoulder in the semi-final against South Africa.

"We'll be training after this, and Matt's going to have a bowl to see how he feels. We’ll make a final call after that," Santner said, leaving the door open for a potential late change to the playing XI.

A major talking point in the build-up to the final has been India's spin attack, particularly mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who dismantled New Zealand’s batting lineup in their group-stage meeting with a five-wicket haul.

Santner, who has shared the IPL experience with Chakaravarthy, acknowledged the challenge but assured that New Zealand have done their homework. "He’s a world-class bowler with a little bit of mystery," the Kiwi skipper said. "If the pitch plays the same way, he’ll be a challenge, along with all of India’s spinners. But the boys have studied more footage, and we know his threats now—especially that 115kph arm ball that got me!"

With the Black Caps aiming to secure their second Champions Trophy title and India chasing a historic third, the stage is set for an intense battle at the Dubai International Stadium.

 Squads:

India 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.

New Zealand 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.