A gripping showdown awaits as the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which hosted the high-voltage India vs. Pakistan clash, gears up for the Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand on Sunday, March 9. The slow, tricky pitch, which played a decisive role in the Indo-Pak encounter, is expected to remain challenging, offering significant assistance to spinners.
During the India-Pakistan match, Mohammad Rizwan’s side struggled to post 241 before India chased it down in 42.3 overs. The surface made stroke-making difficult, favouring disciplined bowling attacks. With a similar pitch expected for the final, teams winning the toss will likely opt to bat first, looking to set a target and apply scoreboard pressure in what could be a low-scoring thriller.
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Interestingly, this is the only pitch being reused in the tournament. According to Cricbuzz, the ICC has employed four different tracks so far, making this an exception. India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, acknowledged the pitch’s role in shaping match strategies and emphasized adaptability.
🚨❗️ The Champions Trophy final to be played on the pitch where the league fixture between India and Pakistan was played on February 23, @vijaymirror reports #INDvNZ #NZvIND #CT2025
🔗- https://t.co/RZhiOKmOjN pic.twitter.com/HCX3xl26tH
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 7, 2025
“In every match, the wicket changes slightly. As a batting coach, my focus is on how well our batsmen adjust. While the wicket’s nature has remained consistent, our batting performances have been excellent. Strong starts have been key, and even in situations where we lacked early momentum, the middle order has stepped up,” Sitanshu Kotak said.
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India enters the final unbeaten, while New Zealand’s only loss in the tournament came against the Men in Blue during the Group A clash at the same venue—though on a different pitch. In that game, India defended 250, restricting the Kiwis to 205, thanks to a match-winning five-wicket haul by Varun Chakravarthy. The mystery spinner will be eager to replicate his heroics, ensuring India’s dominance continues in the grand finale.
