India will take on New Zealand in their final group stage fixture of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium, aiming to secure the top position in Group A and shape the semi-final line-up.
Both teams have remained unbeaten so far in the tournament, making this encounter a pivotal clash in determining the group’s rankings.
While India have already secured their place in the semi-finals, a victory would serve as a strong statement ahead of the knockout stages.
Recent form
New Zealand have been among the most in-form One Day International (ODI) teams in 2025. Having played eight ODIs this year, they have lost only once—a dead rubber against Sri Lanka in a 2-1 series victory in January.
Prior to the tournament, they claimed victory in all three matches of a Tri-Nation series involving Pakistan and South Africa and have continued their winning streak in the group stage.
India, on the other hand, have been equally dominant. Their emphatic victory over Pakistan in Dubai extended their record to nine wins from ten white-ball matches this year.
Despite already qualifying for the semi-finals, India would relish overcoming another strong contender before entering the knockout rounds.
Also read: South Africa enter CT semis with 7-wicket win over England
Players in focus
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell
Michael Bracewell has been a standout performer, registering an impressive 4/26 in ten overs against Bangladesh. The off-spinner provided crucial support to the Black Caps’ fast bowlers, exploiting the opposition’s vulnerability against spin.
Though he managed only one wicket against Pakistan, his economy rate remained impressive. His ability to contain India's aggressive batting line-up will be a key factor in the upcoming match.
India: Mohammed Shami
India’s lead pacer, Mohammed Shami, wreaked havoc against Bangladesh with a five-wicket haul but went wicketless in the high-profile clash against Pakistan.
While India’s spinners dominated that fixture, Shami’s ability to break through New Zealand’s top order early on could be decisive, setting the stage for the spinners to take control in the middle overs.
Squads
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Also read: India aim to sharpen spin game against NZ
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