IND vs NZ Final / New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat in the CT Final- See playing 11

In the final against India, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and decided to bat first. Captain Santner has made one change in the playing-11. Matt Henry is not playing the match due to injury. Fast bowler Nathan Smith has been given a chance in his place

IND vs NZ Final: The final match of the Champions Trophy 2025 is being played between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bat first. There has been one change in the New Zealand squad, with fast bowler Nathan Smith replacing the injured Matt Henry.

After losing the toss, Indian captain Rohit Sharma stated that his team has already batted in both situations—first and second—so they have no issues chasing in this match.

Playing-11 of both teams

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Varun Chakraborty.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson and William O'Rourke.

India vs New Zealand: Head-to-Head

Before this final, India and New Zealand had already faced each other once in the tournament, where India secured a 44-run victory. India has an impressive record at the Dubai International Stadium, winning 9 out of 10 ODI matches played here, with one match ending in a tie. This gives India a psychological advantage heading into the final.

Pitch and Weather Report

The pitch at the Dubai International Stadium is generally slow, which makes spinners crucial in the game. Batsmen will need to be patient as the ball does not come onto the bat easily. Additionally, the presence of dew in the evening might assist the team batting second.

Potential Game-Changers

India:

Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli
Jasprit Bumrah
Kuldeep Yadav

New Zealand:

Kane Williamson
Devon Conway
Trent Boult
Mitchell Santner

Strategy and Expected Outcome

New Zealand will aim to put up a big total to put pressure on India, while India feels comfortable chasing targets. Spin bowling could be a deciding factor, and Indian spinners have a strong understanding of these conditions.

India’s strong batting lineup and balanced bowling attack make them favorites to win the final, but New Zealand has the potential to pull off an upset with a strong performance. This match promises to be an exciting contest for cricket fans.