IND vs NZ Final: Updated Start Time & When to Catch All the Action in Dubai!

Dubai: India is aiming to break their 12-year ICC Champions Trophy drought as they take on New Zealand in the final at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 9.

India’s cricket team has been on fire, winning 23 out of their last 24 matches in white-ball ICC tournaments. Their only loss was in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. This strong performance has set high hopes for the championship.

However, history tells a different story between India and New Zealand. In ICC tournaments, New Zealand leads with a 10-6 record against India. They have faced each other in the Champions Trophy twice before, with each team winning once. Their first clash was in the 2000 final, where New Zealand took the title. In the current tournament, India did manage to win during the group stage.

New Zealand brings its own challenges, with all their top six batters scoring runs throughout the tournament. Their bowling attack, including top pacers and key all-rounders like Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Santner, makes them a formidable opponent. They also performed well against India in a Test series earlier this year.

In their previous group game, New Zealand struggled against India’s spinners, with Varun Chakravarthy achieving impressive figures in his second ODI. As a result, Kiwis like Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra, who can handle spin well, will need to step up.

For India, veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will play crucial roles. Rohit has had an inconsistent tournament but remains a key player with his aggressive batting style. Kohli, on the other hand, showed great form with a century against Pakistan and a strong 84-run effort against Australia in the semi-finals. Supporting them are Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel, all of whom have been vital in the middle order.

As fans gear up for the final, there are questions about the match timings and possible rain. Nevertheless, the ICC Champions Trophy final is set for Sunday, March 9, with a backup plan in place. The toss is scheduled for 2 PM IST, and the match will start at 2:30 PM IST.