India will face New Zealand in their final group stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The match is set to take place on Sunday, March 2, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The Men in Blue have already secured their spot in the semifinals and will aim to conclude the group stage with a victory. India started their campaign with a six-wicket win against Bangladesh, followed by another six-wicket triumph over Pakistan.
Similarly, New Zealand has also won both of their group matches and will be seeking another win. As both teams aim to maintain their unbeaten streaks, let’s take a closer look at India’s probable playing XI for the IND vs NZ clash.
India Playing 11 vs New Zealand – ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 12:
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are expected to open the innings for India. After a fifty-plus partnership against Bangladesh, the duo added 31 runs for the first wicket against Pakistan.
Both will be eager to build a substantial partnership against New Zealand. Rohit scored 20 runs against Pakistan, while Gill followed his century against Bangladesh with a 46-run knock. Both players have been in good form and will aim to deliver a big performance against the Black Caps.
Middle-order batsmen and allrounders: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja
Virat Kohli made a strong comeback with a match-winning century against Pakistan. The former India captain anchored the innings brilliantly, guiding India to victory without major hiccups. His unbeaten 100 will boost his confidence as he eyes another impactful innings.
Shreyas Iyer continued his consistent form with a half-century, scoring 56 runs, and will look to maintain his momentum against New Zealand. KL Rahul did not get a chance to bat in the last game.
Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja are set to feature as the all-rounders. While they didn’t contribute significantly with the bat, they made crucial contributions with the ball. Pandya took 2 wickets, while Jadeja and Axar claimed 1 wicket each.
Bowlers: Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh/Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav
India’s bowling lineup might see a change, with Arshdeep Singh potentially replacing Mohammed Shami. Shami left the field briefly during the last match for treatment and bowled fewer than his allotted 10 overs. Although his injury doesn’t appear serious, the team management may opt to rest him, especially after his recent return from a long injury layoff.
With a semifinal spot already secured, India could give Shami a break and bring in Arshdeep Singh. Meanwhile, Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav are likely to retain their places. Kuldeep was influential against Pakistan, claiming 3 wickets, while Rana took 1 wicket.
