Home
The high-voltage Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand is underway at the Dubai International Stadium and the fans are eagerly waiting for the new title holders. Both the teams will be looking to extend their title count. While New Zealand have won one Champions Trophy title which came in 2000, India have clinched two titles, one in 2002 and the other in 2013.
New Zealand's history in ICC tournaments features two notable wins, both achieved at the expense of India. Their first title triumph came in the 2000 Champions Trophy, then known as the ICC Knockout Cup, and was followed by their second major title in the 2021 World Test Championship (WTC) final, once again defeating the Indian side.
On the other hand, India enter into the final with the ambition of achieving a historic milestone, securing consecutive ICC titles. Having T20 World Cup 2024 title in their pocket, the Men in Blue are now focused on claiming the Champions Trophy for the second time outright. Their overall record includes a shared victory with Sri Lanka in 2002 and a solo win in 2013.
IND vs NZ Champions Trophy 2025 Final LIVE: Click Here for Instant Updates and Scores!
Champions Trophy 2025 winning players to wear special white blazers
A unique and symbolic tradition will add to the spectacle of the 2025 Champions Trophy final. The victorious team will be presented with a special white blazer, to be donned as they proceed to lift the coveted trophy during the presentation ceremony.
This practice, which bestows a sense of prestige and historical continuity upon the winners, originated during the 2009 Champions Trophy edition. Since then, the white blazer has become an integral part of the presentation ritual, creating a memorable and iconic moment for the champions as they celebrate their hard-earned victory.
“The white jacket is a badge of honour adorned by champions. It embodies the relentless pursuit of tactical brilliance and a legacy that inspires generations. Winning the white jacket signifies the journey of putting it all on the line for victory," the ICC explain on their website.
The introduction of the distinctive white blazers in 2009 was accompanied by details about their design and craftsmanship. The International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of world cricket, revealed that the blazers were the creation of Mumbai-based designer Babita M.
Moreover, the ICC emphasised the quality of the materials used in the blazers' construction. They specified that the garments were meticulously crafted from rich Italian wool, highlighting the premium nature of the attire bestowed upon the Champions Trophy winners.
"The jacket is white in colour with gold braiding designed to make it appear striking and give the jacket a slight edge. The specially commissioned logo has been carefully embroidered in the fabric color with a golden contour so as to let it attract the focal attention," the ICC explained.
Talking about the match, India lost the toss and were put to bowl first against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 final. New Zealand suffered a big blow right before the match as they had to make one forced change in their playing XI. Nathan Smith walked into the New Zealand's playing XI in place of injured Matt Henry. On the other hand, India didn't tinker with their playing XI for the final showdown.
What did the captains say after the toss?
"We're going to have a bat first. Looks like a pretty good wicket, similar to the one we played India here a week ago. Want to get runs on the board and see what happens. Obviously expected a few blue shirts, great atmosphere, great ground. Going to be slightly different from what we got in Pakistan. We saw how India played and what they got out of it. Hope it slows down a bit later. Different guys have stepped up at different times. You want guys firing from the start and we have done that, as have India. Unfortunately Matt Henry has been ruled out, we've got Nathan Smith coming in," Santner said after winning the toss.
"We've been here enough, batted first and bowled first, don't really mind batting second. It hasn't changed much; we've chased and won as well. It does give you a lot of confidence and takes the toss away from the game. At the end of the day, what matters is how well you want to play. That's what we've spoken about in the dressing room, not to worry about the toss and to just play well, that's what we've done and we have to do today as well. New Zealand have been a very good team over the past so many years, they tend to play good cricket in ICC tournaments. The challenge for us is to play well against them now. Same team for us," Rohit said.
New Zealand's Playing XI:
Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke, Nathan Smith
India's Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.
