ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Top 5 key player battles to watch out for in the final, IND vs NZ

The final of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, IND vs NZ, will be played on Sunday.

Indian cricket team will clash with the New Zealand cricket team in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This match will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS) in Dubai on March 9, Sunday.

India, who have played all their matches in Dubai and also defeated New Zealand once at this venue, will have the upper hand in this summit clash. New Zealand have played only one match in Dubai, and their batting was found wanting against the Indian spin attack under lights.

However, with both teams coming into this final encounter, all eyes will be on the individual players who will perform for their respective teams. With this in mind, check out the top five player battles for the IND vs NZ ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final.

Here are the top five key player battles to watch out for in the final, IND vs NZ:

1. Rohit Sharma vs. Matt Henry

India captain Rohit Sharma has not fired in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in a big way yet. He has so far scored 104 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 107.21 with a best score of 41. However, the Indian team will hope that Rohit takes a few more overs to set himself in the final and then tee off, instead of blindly hitting every ball he faces for a boundary or a six.

If Rohit Sharma stays in the middle for the first 7-10 overs, New Zealand will have a hard time getting him out. However, the Kiwis have the perfect solution for Rohit in their pacer Matt Henry.

Henry has picked 10 wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, including a fifer against India at the same venue. Though there is a question mark on his fitness after suffering a shoulder injury in the semi-final against South Africa in Lahore, expect Henry to go full throttle in the final, if fit. And if he manages to get Rohit Sharma out early, it might be curtains for the Indian team.

2. Virat Kohli vs. Mitchell Santner

Virat Kohli has been in red-hot form in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He has so far scored 217 runs with one century and an 84 against Australia in the semis. He averages 72.33, and his strike rate is 83.14, perfect for the Dubai surface. Kohli has shown intent to grind his way against spinners in middle overs and even dominated Adam Zampa for a few shots in the semis, despite his weakness against leg spin.

The ball going away from Kohli will bring in New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner into action. This will be a perfect one-on-one battle under the pressure of the final. Kohli will look to milk Santner for runs, while the left-arm spinner is known to be wily and clever and will aim to strangle the ODI great for runs.

3. Varun Chakaravarthy vs. Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson is the mainstay of the New Zealand batting lineup. This is shown in his 220 runs in the ongoing tournament with one ton and one fifty. Free of captaincy burdens, Williamson has averaged 48 and struck at 86. This makes him a key player to target for the Indian team in the middle overs.

And expect Rohit Sharma to use his trump card, Varun Chakaravarthy, to get rid of Kane Williamson early. Williamson had made 81 runs and kept Kiwis in the game in Dubai in the group stage, and though he negotiated Varun easily, expect the Tamil Nadu off-spinner to dismiss him quickly, as he got rid of Travis Head in the same manner.

4. Rachin Ravindra vs. Mohammad Shami

Rachin Ravindra had failed in the group stage match against India, getting out for just six runs. However, he roared back to form with his fifth hundred in an ICC event, scoring 112 against South Africa in the second semi-final. Ravindra is a dynamic player and looks for runs from the start, putting pressure on opposition bowling in powerplay overs.

And who better to counter Ravindra than India’s own Mohammad Shami? Shami, the senior pacer in the Indian contingent, has picked eight wickets in the ongoing tournament, including a fifer against Bangladesh. He bowled only four overs against Kiwis, but in the semis, he troubled the Australian opening pair. Expert at dealing with left-handers, Shami should counter the threat of Rachin with ease and even dismiss him quickly to give India an edge.

5. Tom Latham vs. KL Rahul

In the battle of wicket-keepers, both Tom Latham and KL Rahul have done well in the tournament. Tom Latham has been the backbone of New Zealand’s middle-order, scoring 205 runs with the best of 118* at a strike rate of almost 94. He has kept well to the Kiwi spinners on difficult pitches. He can attack and score quickly, as shown against Pakistan and South Africa recently.

On the other hand, while KL Rahul has copped criticism for his shoddy keeping, dropped catches, and missed stumpings, his contribution with the bat has been worth its weight in gold. Rahul has scored only 106 runs, but they have come at a strike rate of 97, and he has commanded India to the finishing line with ease. In the semi-final, Rahul showed that he could hit the big shots as well when the need arose, and expect him to be a nightmare for the Kiwi bowlers.

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