New Zealand has set India a target of 252 runs in the final match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai Cricket Stadium.
Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bat first.
New Zealand’s innings started steadily but lost their first wicket at 57 when Will Young fell to Varun Chakravarthy. Opener Rachin Ravindra was dismissed for 69 by Kuldeep Yadav, while Kane Williamson managed only 11 runs. Tom Latham and Tim Seifert also fell cheaply, scoring 14 and 7, respectively.
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Daryl Mitchell led the scoring with a solid 63, while Michael Bracewell contributed a crucial half-century to help the Kiwis reach 251/7 in their allotted 50 overs.
Santner acknowledged the strong presence of Indian supporters in the stadium and stated that the pitch looked similar to their previous match against India.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma remained confident, stating that his team was prepared to chase down the target, regardless of batting second.
India is playing its third consecutive ICC tournament final, while New Zealand has been a consistent force, reaching four semifinals in the last five ICC events. The stage is set for a thrilling showdown.
