All eyes will be on the pitch conditions and which team will gain more from the surface as India gets ready for their eagerly awaited Champions Trophy Final matchup with New Zealand on March 9 in Dubai. Many people think that India has an advantage because they are accustomed to the playing conditions in Dubai. New Zealand has the firepower to have an effect as well, having played all of their games there.
IND vs NZ Final pitch
Several reports state that the final pitch has already been chosen and will likely be a "semi-fresh" surface. This pitch was previously used in India's match against arch-rivals Pakistan in the group stage, which gave the match an intriguing element. Notably, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has selected ten pitches for the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, providing a variety of conditions for various games.
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How did the pitch behave in IND vs PAK clash?
India will have an advantage in terms of familiarity if reports are correct, the final is held on the same field as the match between India and Pakistan. India won by a commanding 6 wickets in that game, and their bowlers were able to extract help for pace and spin. Hardik Pandya's 2/31 and Kuldeep Yadav's 3/40 were essential in holding Pakistan to 241 runs.
Virat Kohli led India to victory in just 42.3 overs with a brilliant chase at bat, striking a century. Other Indian batters, too, displayed inconsistent form, which would present a chance for New Zealand. The Black Caps feature pace threats Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke, as well as good spin possibilities Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner, who might take advantage of any batting lineup ambiguities in India.
Groundsmen will have enough time to prepare the field for the grand finale because the India-Pakistan match was played 14 days ago, guaranteeing a thrilling battle between two of the top teams in the world.