The pitch for the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 between India and Pakistan has been selected. There are only a few hours left for the title match in Dubai. However, before that, the officials have decided on the pitch that will be used on Sunday. The ground staff reportedly watered the entire field before the final and then marked the center wicket for the final between India and New Zealand. This is the same wicket that was used for the high-profile India vs Pakistan match in the group stage of the tournament.

The match will be played on the already-used pitch

According to a report in the Times of India, the previously used pitch will be used in the Champions Trophy final. The Emirates Cricket Board has maintained its two-week rest policy for pitches in Dubai. The ILT20 was hosted there before India's matches in the Champions Trophy. In such a situation, the ICC had no other option but to use the previously used pitch for the final between India and New Zealand.

The match will be played after two weeks of rest.
This pitch was last used during the India vs Pakistan match on 23 February. Now it will be used in the final of the Champions Trophy on 09 March. Earlier, former India coach and commentator Ravi Shastri had said, 'If you look at the pitches used in the Champions Trophy, the curators and the ground staff ensured that the pitch gets at least two weeks of rest before being used. Even when the ILT20 was going on, the pitch used for the India vs Bangladesh match was not used for two weeks before the match. Even after that, the curator has adopted a similar approach.'

Ravi Shastri had stated the match
He said, 'ILT20 was going on, but the eyes of the ground staff were on the Champions Trophy. Not just the square, a lot of importance was given to the outfield and that is why there is such a green outfield here even after so much cricket. With the temperature rising rapidly in Dubai, spin bowling has become even more important to the teams' plans for the final. The center wicket has been under cover for the last few days. The first look at the wicket is likely to be made public on Saturday.

What happened in the India-Pakistan match

However, if we look at the match between India and Pakistan, the match was low-scoring. Pakistan won the toss and batted first and the team was bundled out for 241 runs in 49.4 overs. Spinners took five wickets for India, while fast bowlers got three wickets. Varun Chakraborty did not play in that match. India achieved the target by losing four wickets in 42.3 overs. For Pakistan, two wickets were taken by a fast bowler and two wickets by spinners.

Fast bowlers took more wickets in Dubai.

Talking about the record, so far a total of 860 wickets have fallen at the Dubai International Stadium. Out of this, fast bowlers have taken 493 wickets, while spinners have got 350 wickets. Other types of bowlers have got 17 wickets. A total of nine matches have been played at the Dubai International Stadium since the 2023 ODI World Cup final and 123 wickets have fallen. Of these, fast bowlers have taken 70 wickets, while spinners have taken 50 wickets. Other types of bowlers have got three wickets.

India is invincible in Dubai so far.

India has played a total of 10 ODIs at the Dubai International Stadium so far and the team has managed to win nine. One match was tied. At the same time, the Kiwis have played three matches here and have lost two. One match did not result. India and New Zealand have previously faced each other in the final of the Champions Trophy in the year 2000. Now after 25 years, Team India has a chance to avenge that defeat.

Dubai International Stadium Statistics

Highest score- 355/5 (England vs Pakistan, 2015)

Lowest total- 91 runs (Namibia vs UAE, 2023)

Most runs- 424 runs (Richie Berrington)

Most centuries- 2 (Kevin Pietersen)

Most half-centuries- 4 (Jatinder Singh)

Most wickets- 25 (Shahid Afridi)

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