Dubai [UAE], March 2: India will take on New Zealand in their final group stage match in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday. Both teams are unbeaten in the tournament so far, making this clash crucial in determining the top spot in Group A and finalizing the semi-final permutations.
Match Significance:
This match serves as a key tune-up for the knockout stages of the tournament. While both teams have already qualified for the semi-finals, winning this game will give them a psychological edge as they head into the next stage.
Recent Form:
- New Zealand: The Black Caps have been in excellent form, with only one loss from their last eight One Day Internationals this year — a dead rubber against Sri Lanka in January. Heading into the Champions Trophy, New Zealand won all three of their Tri-Nation matches against Pakistan and South Africa and have comfortably won both of their group-stage encounters.
- India: India has been dominant in 2024, with nine wins from ten white-ball matches this year. After a convincing victory over Pakistan in Dubai, India has already secured a spot in the semi-finals. However, they will look to win this match to stay on track for a potential top spot in the group and further strengthen their position in the tournament.
Players in Focus:
- New Zealand: Michael Bracewell
Bracewell has been in top form, especially with his outstanding 4/26 in the match against Bangladesh. His ability to complement New Zealand’s pace attack will be crucial against India’s powerful batting lineup. He will need to maintain his economy rate and take key wickets, particularly against India’s middle order. - India: Mohammed Shami
Shami played a key role in India’s victory over Bangladesh with a five-wicket haul but went wicketless in the match against Pakistan. If Shami can strike early against New Zealand’s top order, it will give India’s spin bowlers a great opportunity to capitalize in the middle overs. His early breakthroughs could be a game-changer for India.
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, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
With both teams in superb form, the match promises to be an exciting contest as they aim to finish the group stage with a win and prepare for the knockout rounds.