Team India, currently in scintillating form, will look to clinch their third ICC Champions Trophy title when they face a determined New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
India’s previous triumphs came in 2002 and 2013, and this final offers them a chance to settle some old scores against the spunky Kiwis.
The clash for the ‘mini-World Cup’ pits two of the most consistent yet underachieving teams in ICC events against each other. Both sides will be desperate for glory after enduring heartbreaking losses in recent ODI finals – India in the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2023 World Cup, and New Zealand in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
This time, India’s campaign has also been slightly marred by accusations of “unfair advantage” due to all their matches being scheduled at a single venue.
A key point of interest will be whether India captain Rohit Sharma uses this stage to bid farewell to his international career, or at least his ODI career, following the example of Australia captain Steve Smith and former Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, who recently retired after their teams’ exits.
Similarly, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, who has been in fine form with 189 runs in four matches at 47.25, including a century in the semifinal, may also see this as an opportunity to bow out of ODIs in style.
Rohit, 37, has been instrumental in setting the tone for India, despite not producing a big individual score. His cameos of 41, 20, 15, and 28 in India’s four consecutive wins have earned praise from head coach Gautam Gambhir. “If your captain bats with such intent, it sends a strong message to the dressing room about being fearless and courageous. We evaluate impact, not just runs,” Gambhir said.
The final also offers Rohit and Virat Kohli, who has found form with an unbeaten century against Pakistan and a crucial 84 against Australia in the semifinal, a chance to relive the glory of India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies last year.
For India, this match presents an opportunity to avenge a defeat New Zealand inflicted on them nearly 25 years ago. On Oct 15, 2000, Chris Cairns’ century guided New Zealand to a four-wicket victory over Sourav Ganguly’s India in the Champions Trophy final in Nairobi, securing their maiden title. In recent years, New Zealand have emerged as India’s bogey team in ICC events.
The Black Caps defeated India in the 2019 World Cup semifinal and the 2021 World Test Championship final. However, India broke the jinx with a 70-run victory in a high-scoring semifinal in Mumbai earlier in this tournament, thanks to centuries from Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, and a seven-wicket haul by Mohammed Shami.
India’s journey to the final has been marked by dominant performances, including a clinical win over Australia in the semifinal and victories in all three group matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand.
Bouncing back from an ordinary Test tour of Australia, vice-captain Shubman Gill has batted like a dream, scoring 157 runs in four matches at 52.33, while Kohli, Iyer and KL Rahul have given the Indian middle order the look of a well-oiled machine, with Hardik Pandya providing the perfect finishing touches.
India’s decision to field a four-pronged spin attack in their last two matches has paid off handsomely. Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy have been instrumental, with Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul against New Zealand in the group stage proving decisive.
