New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the crucial toss and chose to bat first in the highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 9. The decision came with an unfortunate setback for the Kiwis, as Santner confirmed fast bowler Matt Henry would miss out due to an injury he sustained during the semi-final victory against South Africa. Nathan Smith replaces Henry in the playing XI for this crucial match.
Explaining his decision to bat, Santner highlighted the pitch conditions, describing it as quite similar to the one on which they previously faced India during the group stages at the same venue. He emphasized the importance of putting runs on the board in a high-pressure final and expressed hope that the pitch would gradually become slower as the game progresses, potentially benefiting their bowlers later on.
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Santner also acknowledged the vibrant atmosphere, anticipating significant support for India, given the large presence of Indian fans expected at the stadium. He further praised his team’s consistency throughout the tournament, noting that different players have stepped up at key moments, which contributed significantly to their run to the final despite losing once to India in the group phase.
India, led by Rohit Sharma, enter the final with high confidence after maintaining an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament. They secured their spot in the final by convincingly defeating Australia in the semi-finals. Addressing the toss, Rohit showed little concern about losing the opportunity to bat first, highlighting India’s balanced performances in both batting and bowling irrespective of toss outcomes.
The Indian captain emphasized that the team has repeatedly discussed the irrelevance of toss results, urging players to focus entirely on their performances on the field. Rohit expressed respect for New Zealand’s consistency, particularly in ICC tournaments, calling them a formidable opponent who regularly delivers strong performances in high-stakes matches.
Confirming his team’s line-up, Rohit Sharma stated there would be no changes from the semi-final side, underscoring his trust in the same group of players that achieved victory against Australia.
Teams:
New Zealand (Playing XI): Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke, Nathan Smith
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.
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