Spunky New Zealand on way of India’s aim to end 12 year-wait for Champions Trophy

New Delhi: India would have to negate a spirited New Zealand outfit in the final in Dubai on Sunday in their aim to win their first Champions Trophy in 12 years. The Black caps have always been a thorn in India’s flesh, having beaten them in the final of this tournament’s 2000 edition.

They also hold a 10-6 advantage over India in head-to-head meetings in all International Cricket Council tournaments and have a 3-1 edge in knockout matches of ICC competitions.

India though are the side to beat and remain the favourites to lift the title. Not only have they played all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, they have also beaten the Kiwis in the group stage.

On the sluggish Dubai track, India have played with four spinners and a lone pacer in Mohammed Shami. Their bowling unit have worked in tandem to produce disciplined performances in their unbeaten run-up to the final and they are likely to go in with the same condition.

India’s wrist spinners in right hander Varun Chakravarthy and left hander Kuldeep Yadav have spun a web around oppositions while left arm finger spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel have been economical to add pressure on opposition batters.

New Zealand have to find a way to not only neutralise their threat but also to score heavily in the middle overs as a good score is essential to put pressure in the star-studded Indian batting line-up.

In-form Kane Williamson and Ravindra Jadeja would be New Zealand’s best bet in their battein department while the Kiwis have their own set of spinners in skipper Mitchel Santner, Michael Bracewell, Ravindra and Glenn Phillips, who would be confident to trouble the Indian batters.

Farewell for Rohit, Kohli?

Skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have played leading roles in their run to the final and speculation is intense that the veterans might end their ODI careers after the match.

Both have been tight-lipped about their futures and would dearly want to go out on a bang, if they decide to pull the plug on their 50-over careers.

Rohit has played flashy cameos and would like to play a big knock while Kohli has been India’s top performer with an unbeaten century against Pakistan and a half century against Australia.

If they fire, it would reduce the pressure on India’s middle-order batters, who have delivered when asked to so far in the tournament.

Teams (from):

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.

Match begins at 2.30 pm IST.

 India take on New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday, in what could be the last match for skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs.  Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today