As the highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand approaches, Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner has made a significant statement that highlights the challenges his team will face. According to Santner, India’s familiarity with the conditions in Dubai makes them a formidable opponent, and the upcoming match on Sunday will be even more daunting for New Zealand. Despite this, Santner expressed confidence in his team’s ability to adapt quickly to the conditions. Notably, New Zealand has not won an ICC tournament since 2000, when they defeated India in the Champions Trophy final in Kenya.
India to Pose a Stiff Challenge
During the pre-match press conference, Santner acknowledged that India will pose a tough challenge, given their impressive form and familiarity with the conditions in Dubai. He also hoped that New Zealand’s recent experience of playing in Dubai would give them an edge. Santner emphasized that while playing against India a few days ago might have helped his team, the knockout nature of the match means that only the team that performs better will emerge victorious.
Santner’s Thoughts on the Dubai Pitch
Santner also shared his thoughts on the Dubai pitch during the press conference. The New Zealand captain stated that regardless of the pitch’s nature, his team must be prepared to adapt to any conditions. He noted that they will be facing a strong team on a spin-friendly wicket and anticipated that India would field an unchanged team. However, he also acknowledged that the pitch could behave differently, and his team needs to be ready to adjust to whatever conditions they encounter.
It’s worth noting that New Zealand’s last ICC tournament win was in 2000, and they will be looking to break this drought in the Champions Trophy 2025 final. With India’s strong performance and home advantage, the stage is set for an exciting and closely contested match. As the teams prepare to face off, one thing is certain – only the team that can adapt and perform under pressure will emerge as the champion.