🏏ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India vs NZ, Match 12, Group A🏏 - Page 4

We are onto our final group game of the Champions Trophy. Both India and New Zealand have already qualified, but today's game will decide the standings for Group A. Both Australia and South Africa would be viewing this with a keen eye to see which team plays in Dubai and which in Lahore.

Will New Zealand's spinners cause issues for India?

Eleven days, eleven matches later, we are here. The last league match of Champions Trophy 2025. A game that should have had some context had Group A been more competitive. But Pakistan and Bangladesh lost each of their first two games, which meant both India and New Zealand qualified for the semi-final much before they met. All's not lost though. Today's encounter will help in deciding the semi-final line-ups. India fans, who do you want as the opponents for the semis? If India win, they will face Australia, and if they lose, then South Africa will be their opponents in the semi-final. Let's get going in this, hopefully, wild ride.

India have had the comfort of playing all their games at the same venue, but they have also augmented that advantage by playing some high quality cricket. Their bowlers got the opposition out for under par scores in both games so far, and then the batters chased things down on a canter. Virat Kohli has found his form once again with a solid century, as most of the top order are firing once again for India. There were some question marks over Rohit Sharma and Mohammad Shami's fitness heading into this game, but KL Rahul clarified in a press conference earlier that both are ready to go. However, with this game of little consequence, it would be interesting to see if India opt to rest some of their big names and give their bench players a chance.

New Zealand brushed aside Pakistan in the opening game, and then a returning Rachin Ravindra scored a match winning knock against Bangladesh to make it two wins out of two. Their former skipper Kane Williamson has had two single digit scores so far in the tournament, and would hope that a change in venue would bode well for him. Their have their spin department well covered with Michael Bracewell and Mitch Santner performing well, and they would get some further help on the slow, low tracks of Dubai. Despite a fairly inexperienced pace bowling attack, New Zealand have done well so far, but face a much sterner test today. India vs New Zealand has been quite the rivalry in ICC tournaments over the past decade, let's see who can come out on top this time.

Undoubtedly when India play, all eyes are on Virat Kohli, who will be the seventh Indian to 300 ODIs today. He has stamped his presence in this competition with a hundred in a run chase against Pakistan. But we have our eyes on another classy batter, considered heir apparent to Kohli, Shubman Gill. An unbeaten century against Bangladesh in a chase and then helping India set platform against Pakistan, Gill has looked in superb touch. He is India's leading run-getter in the Champions Trophy 2025. Sidharth Monga writes about how he has found his way in spin-friendly conditions after struggling in Sri Lanka last year, but adds that he'll face sterner tests in the games to come

India are coming here on the back of a six-day break. New Zealand also played a match five days ago. But with India, they know that they will play the first semi-final, which is day after tomorrow. Hence, eyes will be on the combinations they field today. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that India are wary of of keeping bowlers fresh for the semi-final. KL Rahul said India don't have any injury issues but will they bring in Rishabh Pant for the New Zealand game? In his match preview, Karthik Krishnaswamy also wonders if Washington Sundar and/or Varun Chakravarthy could get a go

Muk i: "Varun needs to play as akshar jadeja duo struggle to capture wickets in middle if batsmen play smart..rest kuldeep forthis game." Axar and Jadeja have contained the flow of runs though

Kaz: "I would love to face Aussies as they are their for the taking, weak bowling unit and a batting line up that will struggle vs Indian spinners"

Pitch report: A light breeze blowing in Dubai. Square boundaries are 63m and 71m, the straight hit being 76m. Dinesh Karthik looks at the pitch and says that it is a black-soil pitch from Pakistan. Dry surface, similar to the last two games. He expects it to get better under lights.

Manish: "Varun should be left till the semi finals or finals - that's the secret weapon India is holding. Washington Sundar would be good option today with so many lefties in Nz line up. "

The venue has so far assisted spinners, which plays into the strengths of both teams as they have world-class spin options. The weather looks perfect, with no threat of rain or dew, meaning the toss won’t be a major factor. Even though both teams have already reached the semi-finals, this match will be a crucial test before the semis against a top-quality opposition. Expect a high-intensity battle as both sides look to fine-tune their game and carry winning momentum into the knockouts.

Pitch Report | Simon Doull and Dinesh Karthik: The leg side is shorter for the right handers, and it is a longer hit down the ground. Great weather out here, it is just 24 degrees. This is a black soil pitch from Pakistan, pretty dry and will help spinners in the beginning, but later on it comes on better as the lights come on. The economy rate of the spinners are better, but pacers have picked more wickets.