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Virat Kohli and Will O'Rourke (File Photo: X) Photograph: (Internet)
Two dominant and unbeaten teams in the recent ODI's, India and New Zealand, will play each other in the 12th match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Dubai’s Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host this game on Monday, March 2, at 2:30 PM (IST). It will be a ‘Battle of the Bests’ between both teams for the top spot in the Group A points table.
India are enjoying an outstanding run of form with five consecutive wins in their last five ODIs, including the 3-0 whitewash win against England followed by two successive wins in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.
They are coming off to a 6-wicket win against the arch-rivals Pakistan following the same-margin win against Bangladesh in their campaign opener. The Men in Blue will aim to win this game and end at the top spot on the tournament’s points table.
Similarly, Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand have also won five matches consecutively in their last five ODIs. They are coming off a 5-wicket win against Bangladesh following a 60-run win against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy’s current edition. They will also look ahead to win this game and stay at the top of the Group A points table.
Having said that, here we’ll look at the predicted top 3 player battles to watch out for in high-stakes India vs New Zealand, the last league match of the Champions Trophy 2025.
Here are the top 3 player battles to watch out for in India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025:
3. Shubman Gill vs Matt Henry
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Star India opener and vice-captain Shubman Gill has been in a sensational run of form with the bat in the tournament’s current edition. He has scored 147 runs in two innings, including an unbeaten appearance and has an outstanding average of 147.00. He also scored a match-winning century against Bangladesh in the campaign opener.
However, the in-form Gill might face a bit of a challenge while taking on the veteran New Zealand pacer Matt Henry in the next game. Henry has been one of the most economical and effective bowlers for NZ in the tournament; he has scalped 3 wickets in two innings, with a decent economy rate of 5.02.
2. Rachin Ravindra vs Harshit Rana
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Star in-form New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra made a stunning comeback with the bat during the last game against Bangladesh. Rachin scored a decisive and match-winning century, smashing 112 runs off just 105 balls, with 12 fours and a six. He is also the second-leading run-scorer for his side, just with an appearance in the tournament.
Young India pacer Harshit Rana has scalped 4 wickets in two innings, with a sensational economy rate of 3.97. He is the most economical bowler for India in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 and might be a tough question to answer for Rachin Ravindra at the beginning of the innings with the new ball.
1. Virat Kohli vs William O’Rourke
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Former India skipper and modern-day batting great Virat Kohli has left everyone awestruck with his batting prowess in the ongoing prestigious cricket quadrennial. He has scored 122 runs in two innings, including an unbeaten appearance and has an amazing batting average of 122.00, including a century against the arch-rivals Pakistan in the last game.
Kohli might get a good contest to face in young New Zealand pacer William O’Rourke, who might be there to bowl with the new ball in the powerplay or as a first-change bowler at the beginning of the second powerplay. O’Rourke might trouble Kohli with his ‘outside the off-stump’ deliveries.