With not much time left for the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy final, both teams have had a fantastic campaign to reach this stage. Interestingly, both teams come from the same group.
On one hand, India defeated Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the group stage before overcoming Australia in the semifinals. On the other hand, the Blackcaps dominated Pakistan and Bangladesh but lost to India in the group stage. However, they managed to stay on track and secured their place in the final by defeating South Africa in the semi-finals.
For India, this is a great opportunity to capitalise on their winning momentum. It will be highly exciting to see how the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy final comes. However, the Dubai International Stadium pitch has always been a talking point, and unsurprisingly, it is drawing attention once again. Take a look at the pitch report ahead of the big final.
Dubai Stadium pitch report
When it comes to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, all eyes are surely on the pitch, as it has always been tricky. Bowlers have found success in recent matches, while batting has not been entirely comfortable. Although the surface tends to improve as the match progresses, high-scoring games are rare.
Reports suggest that the pitch used for the India vs Pakistan match will also be used for the Champions Trophy final. Also, spinners are expected to play a crucial role, especially in the middle overs, as the surface is likely to slow down. On top of that, dew plays a significant role in night matches, making the toss an important factor.
For India, tosses haven’t gone their way lately. While they have been winning matches, they have been losing tosses consistently. It will be interesting to see how things comes this time. As for the pitch conditions, bowlers are expected to dominate, making bowling first and chasing the target a preferable option over batting initially.
Dubai Stadium ODI Stats
| Stat | Value |
| Total matches | 62 |
| Matches won batting first | 23 |
| Matches won bowling first | 37 |
| Average 1st innings score | 220 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 194 |
| Highest total recorded | 355/5 (50 Ovs) by ENG vs PAK |
| Lowest total recorded | 91/10 (31.1 Ovs) by NAM vs UAE |
| Highest score chased | 287/8 (49.4 Ovs) by SL vs PAK |
| Lowest score defended | 168/10 (46.3 Ovs) by UAE vs NEP |
