March 2nd 2025.
In a highly anticipated match at the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has won the toss and chosen to field first against India. This decision has raised the excitement among fans as both teams have already secured their place in the semi-finals, making this game a crucial one to determine who will face Group B's top team South Africa or second-placed Australia.
What's more, this match has a special significance for Indian captain Virat Kohli as he becomes the 22nd player overall and the seventh Indian to play 300 men's ODIs. This milestone is a testament to his incredible talent and dedication to the sport.
After winning the toss, Santner explained his decision to bring in Daryl Mitchell for Devon Conway, stating that they wanted to put pressure on India early on and take advantage of the good wicket. He also mentioned the team's desire to win this match before heading to Lahore for the next round of the competition.
India's captain Rohit Sharma also shared his thoughts on the game, revealing that pace-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana has been rested and wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy will be joining the playing eleven. This means India will have two attacking spinners alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Sharma also discussed their strategy for this match, saying they will approach it in a similar manner to their previous games, focusing on bowling in partnerships and utilizing their spinners and seamers effectively. This will be crucial against New Zealand's strong batting lineup.
The match will be played on a black-soil pitch with varying square boundaries at 63m and 71m, and a straight down the ground boundary at 76m. This will provide an interesting challenge for both teams and add to the excitement of the game.
Here are the playing XIs for both teams: India's lineup includes Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy. Meanwhile, New Zealand's lineup comprises of Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and William O'Rourke.
With the stage set for an intense and thrilling match, all eyes will be on the players as they battle it out for a spot in the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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