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India and New Zealand are set to face off in the highly anticipated final of the Champions Trophy 2025. The Men in Blue secured their place in the final with a thrilling victory over Australia in the semi-final, while New Zealand delivered a dominant performance to overwhelm South Africa in their knockout clash. In their previous encounter, India emerged vic✱torious with a 44-run win. However, New Zealand have shown a knack forꦰ upsetting the subcontinent giants in the knockout stages of ICC tournaments, adding an extra layer of intrigue to this much-anticipated final.
Amidst the build-up for the showdown of the prestigious ICC tournament, former Pakistan cricketer Wahab Riaz has shared h✃is thoughts on who according to him is set to clinch the coveted trophy and outperform the other.
Wahab Riaz chooses his favourite side for the Champions Trophy 2025 final
India have won all their matches in the ⛎tournament so far. However, they have often fallen short in crucial encounters in the past. While many former players believe India holds the upper hand, they have al💝so acknowledged that New Zealand cannot be underestimated and the possibility of another Black Caps triumph remains very much alive.
Former Pakistan cricke💝ter Wahab, in particular, believes that New Zealand are currently a more formidable side than India, highlighting their strength and consistency in high-pressure situations.
“New Zealand are looking stronger than India as they always have a clear game plan. They know how to bat and bowl in these conditions. Their batters and bowlers have always delivered in big games. However, I would still give 60-40 in favour of India but you can’t rule out the possibility of a New Zealand win,” Wahab said while commentat♑ing during the second s🐎emi-final of the Champions Trophy.
Also Read: Meet th♐e mystery girl who grabbed eyeballs duri🧔ng India vs Australia clash at Champions Trophy 2025
A high-octane journey of the two finalists in the Champions Trophy 2025
India: The Indian team started with a win against Bangladesh in the group A of the Champions Trophy 2025. Their next win came against arch-rivals Pakistan followed by a triumph over New Zealand in the final group stage clash. In the semi-final of the tournament, they were challenged by Australia but an emphatic run-chase from Virat Kohli with contributions from KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya paved the way for the team’s entry into the fඣinal.
New Zealand: The road to the final of the tournament was a bit similar for the Black Cඣaps. After registering a win over Pakistan and Bangladesh in the group stage clashes, a disappointing display from the middle-order led to a defeat in🥃 their final group stage match against India.
However, New Zealand made a strong comeback in the semi-final against South Africa courtesy of centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. The Bl🃏ack Caps registered a 50-run win over the Proteas overcom🌞ing all odds and secured a place in the final of the tournament.
