ICC Champions Trophy Final: 5 Tournament Facts To Know Before Betting
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
India’s Advantage: Familiarity with Dubai’s Condititons
The 2025 Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand has not only captivated fans with its thrilling prospect but has also sparked a significant debate, particularly regarding the venue. India’s path to the final has raised questions, with many critics and even neutrals pointing out that the Men in Blue have a massive advantage, having played all of their matches in this tournament, as well the upcoming final, at a single venue.
Dubai, known for its dry and flat pitches, is a venue that India is now intimately familiar with. By now, the team is fully aware of how the overhead conditions are likely to affect the flow of the match, while being able to sidestep the need to travel for hours between matches has helped keep the team fresh. New Zealand, on the other hand, kicked off their campaign in Karachi, followed by trips to Rawalpindi, Dubai, Lahore, and now they are back in the Middle East.
Check out our India vs. New Zealand prediction for the Champions Trophy final!
Record Breaker: King Kohli Eyeing Gayle’s Landmark
India’s superstar Virat Kohli is set to feature in his third Champions Trophy final this weekend. He played a pivotal role in guiding the Blue Shirts to a commanding semi-final victory over Australia last week, scoring a masterful 84 runs to chase down the Baggy Greens’ target of 265, bringing him closer to a major tournament record - one that he could shatter when he faces New Zealand.
The former skipper has been in superb form throughout the tournament and is currently India’s highest run-scorer in this edition, having accumulated 217 runs and he is also the fourth highest run-getter in Champions Trophy history, Kohli now has an all-time Champions Trophy run tally of 746 and is just 46 runs away from breaking West Indian legend Chris Gayle’s record for the most runs ever scored in the tournament (791).
Honours Even: There Is A Chance The Title Could Be Shared
While fans are undoubtedly keen to see India and New Zealand go blow for blow and wicket for wicket in the Champions Trophy final, there is a chance that we could see the two crowned joint champions. The Men in Blue have experienced this scenario once in the past, back in 2002, when they shared the title with Sri Lanka.
On Sunday, if the heavens open and rain disrupts the Champions Trophy final, the number of overs will be reduced after a set period of time. However, if either team is unable to complete at least 25 overs, the match will be called off for the day and rescheduled to the reserve day - March 10 - which has been specifically designated for such a situation. In the event that rain prohibits play on the reserve day, India and New Zealand will be crowned joint champions.
Take a look at the best online bookmakers for the Champions Trophy 2025 final betting.
Major Blow: New Zealand Seamer A Serious Doubt
New Zealand are out to make history this weekend, as they seek to defeat the mighty Blue Shirts and claim the title for the second time in their history. In a stunning upset, the Kiwis triumphed over India by four wickets in the 2000 Champions Trophy final held in Nairobi, and now, 25 years later, the Black Caps will be hoping for a repeat of that performance here in Dubai.
However, the underdog Kiwis could be without the services of a key cog to their run to the final in Matt Henry. The pacer became the first-ever bowler to take a five-wicket haul against the Men in Blue in the Champions Trophy last week but sustained a shoulder injury against South Africa in the semi-final. While the New Zealand team management has not completely ruled him out, the chances of him being fit and available for selection on Sunday are very slim.
Spin Cycle: Spinners Expected To Shine in Dubai
It is no secret that a massive part of India’s formula for success in Asia is their brilliant utilisation of spinners. In this year’s Champions Trophy, the trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja caused significant problems for the opposition in the early stages of the tournament, while the inclusion of Varun Chakravarthy further bolstered India’s spin attack, leaving opposition batters perplexed by his mystery spin. India’s spin bowlers have notched up 21 wickets in this competition, including picking up nine against the Kiwis in their group-stage encounter.
However, is it possible that New Zealand could even the playing field here? The Black Caps’ spinners have been almost as effective as India’s, claiming 17 wickets so far in the tournament and, notably, they have had the upper hand over the Blue Shirts in four of the last eight ICC events. Over the four matches in this competition, Santner has claimed seven wickets, Michael Bracewell has bagged six, while Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips have taken two scalps apiece.
You can find additional Champions Trophy key stats before betting on the final right here on SportyTrader!
