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The Indian cricket team will face New Zealand in their final Group A match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The match will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday March 2. Both teams have already secured their spots in the semi-finals but this game will decide which team finishes at the top of Group A.
India’s Journey So Far
India, led by captain Rohit Sharma, has been in excellent form in the tournament. They have won both of their matches so far.
In their first match India defeated Bangladesh by six wickets with the help of Shubman Gill’s brilliant century.
In their second match India won against Pakistan by six wickets. Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) and Hardik Pandya (2/31) helped to restrict Pakistan on 241 runs. Virat Kohli’s not out century along with contributions from Shreyas Iyer (56) and Shubman Gill (46), helped India to victory.
Shubman Gill has been India’s top scorer in the tournament with 147 runs so far followed by Virat Kohli with 122 runs. In the bowling department Mohammad Shami has taken five wickets while Harshit Rana has claimed four.
New Zealand’s Performance
New Zealand led by Mitchell Santner has also been impressive.
They started their campaign with a 60-run victory over Pakistan in Karachi.
In their second match they defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in Rawalpindi. Michael Bracewell took four wickets while Rachin Ravindra scored a match-winning 112 runs.
The Importance of This Match
Since both teams have already qualified for the semi-finals, this match will not affect their progression. However the winner of this match will finish first in Group A. India will play their semi-final on March 4 in Dubai while New Zealand will play theirs on March 5 in Lahore.
Both the team may give a chance to the new players who are waiting on bench.
Head-to-Head Record
India and New Zealand have played 118 ODIs against each other. India has won 60 matches, while New Zealand has won 50. One match ended in a tie and seven had no result. In their last ODI meeting India defeated New Zealand by 70 runs in the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
Will Rohit Sharma Play?
There are reports that Indian captain Rohit Sharma might be rested for this match due to a hamstring injury. If he does not play vice-captain Shubman Gill could lead the team for the first time in ODIs. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant might also return to the playing XI.
Where to Watch the Match?
Fans can watch the match live on Star Sports HD or stream it on Jio Hotstar.
This match is expected to be an exciting contest between two strong teams. While the result will not change the semi-final line-up, both India and New Zealand will look to continue their winning momentum into the knockout stage. Let’s see which team finishes at the top of Group A!