IND vs NZ Final: The goal of invincible India is to destroy the challenge of the Kiwis, their record in knockouts is not good

Posted on 7th Mar 2025 by rohit kumar

In the final of the Champions Trophy to be held on Sunday, the Indian team will enter the final with a psychological advantage against New Zealand. The reason for this is India's victory over New Zealand in the last three matches of the ICC ODI tournament. Be it the ODI World Cup or the Champions Trophy, India has not lost to New Zealand under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma so far.

 

In the 2023 World Cup, India defeated New Zealand in the Super-10 and semi-finals, and in the group match of this Champions Trophy as well, Rohit's team has registered superiority over New Zealand. Remaining undefeated in the Champions Trophy and making it to the final will also boost the morale of the Indian team. However, this will be the third time in the history of the ICC tournament that India and New Zealand will face each other in the title match. The fact is that India has not been able to defeat New Zealand in the last two title clashes so far. On Sunday in Dubai, it will have a chance to avenge the defeat in the final of the 2000 Champions Trophy and the 2021 World Test Championship.

 

Defeated in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup

 

India and New Zealand have clashed four times in the knockouts of ICC tournaments, in which New Zealand has won three times, while India has won once, but the last victory has been India's, when it defeated New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup. India also has the advantage of playing in Dubai. Dubai and Indian pitches are quite similar. Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have adapted themselves well according to this pitch.

 

Virat-Shami has defeated New Zealand.

 

Eyes will be on the Indian spinners in the final, but two players scattered New Zealand on their own in the 2023 World Cup. Both these players are in tremendous form even at this time. These are Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami. Shami took five wickets for 54 runs in the group match in 2023 and Virat scored 95 runs in 104 balls in this match and gave India victory. Both these players performed well in the semi-finals as well. Shami gave his best performance by taking seven wickets for 57 runs, while Virat played a memorable innings of 117 runs in 113 balls. Shami took 12 wickets in two matches of the 2023 World Cup against New Zealand.

 

We will enter the final by learning from the last match: Kane.

 

India will have to be cautious of New Zealand's star batsman Kane Williamson in the final. Kane has scored 81 against India and 102 in the semi-final against South Africa. Williamson believes that India has real clarity about the conditions there due to playing all its matches of the Champions Trophy in Dubai. Despite this, his team is fully prepared for the final to be held on Sunday.

 

Will have to adjust to the Dubai pitch: Rachin

 

Opener Rachin Ravindra, who scored 108 runs in the semi-final against South Africa, believes that his team will have to adjust to the unknown pitch of Dubai in the final against India. Ravindra said, we do not know much about the Dubai pitch. We played a match against India and then the ball was turning a lot, while in the other match the ball was not turning much.