India, led by Rohit Sharma, will take on the Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand team in the ICC Champions Trophy final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday, March 9. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan predicted the winner of the highly anticipated encounter in the tournament.
Many teams, fans, and experts have criticized the schedule of the Champions Trophy. They stated that India have gained an unfair advantage by playing all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium. Critics believe that Rohit Sharma’s team is familiar with the conditions and pitch in the tournament.
India Will Win at Their New Home Venue – Michael Vaughan
When asked for his prediction for the Champions Trophy 2025 final, Michael Vaughan stated that India would win at their “new home venue.” Michael Vaughan hinted at the ongoing debate over whether India benefited from the tournament’s hybrid model.
“India will win at there new home venue 
,” Michael Vaughan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
India will win at there new home venue
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 8, 2025
New Zealand have been a tough opponent for India in ICC events. India suffered defeats against the Kiwis in the 2019 World Cup semi-final and the 2021 World Test Championship (WTC) final.
While India outplayed New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semi-final, the Black Caps scripted history by defeating India 3-0 in a Test series earlier this year.
India Have an Unbeaten Record in ODIs at the Dubai International Stadium
While other teams had to travel between venues in Pakistan and Dubai, India played all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium. However, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma dismissed these claims, stating that there was no major benefit.
India secured their place in the Champions Trophy final by defeating Australia, while New Zealand beat South Africa to set up the title clash. Notably, India have an unbeaten record in ODIs at the Dubai International Stadium. They have maintained a perfect record in the ongoing tournament so far.
What Happened When India and New Zealand Clashed in the Group Stage of the 2025 Champions Trophy?
When India and New Zealand faced off in the group stage of the marquee tournament at the Dubai International Stadium on March 2, the Rohit Sharma-led side secured victory by 44 runs.
After being sent in to bat first, India managed to score 249 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. Shreyas Iyer was the top scorer for India with 79 runs. Matt Henry was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, registering bowling figures of 5/42.
In response, New Zealand were bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs. Former skipper Kane Williamson fought hard with 81 runs off 120 balls, but no other batter crossed 30 runs. Varun Chakaravarthy led the bowling attack with an impressive 5/42, while Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with two wickets.