Santner eyes toss advantage ahead of Champions Trophy final

LAHORE: New Zealand allrounder Mitchell Santner has underlined the importance of the toss ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against India, scheduled to be played on March 9 in Dubai.

The Kiwis secured their place in the title clash with a commanding 50-run victory over South Africa in the second semi-final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. Having already faced India in the group stage at the same venue, where they fell short by 44 runs while chasing a 250-run target, Santner acknowledged that conditions could play a crucial role in the final.

Speaking after his side’s semi-final win, the left-arm spinner noted that his team had gained valuable insights from their previous encounter against the Men in Blue. “It’s a pretty good feeling. Today we were challenged by a good side, and now we will head to Dubai, where we have already played India before. We’ll take some rest and go again,” Santner said in the post-match talks.

“We have had a look at them, and they’ve had a look at us. But it’s about identifying what worked and what didn’t. The bowlers did an excellent job in the last game, picking up three early wickets. Winning the toss might be nice as well,” he added.

In their previous meeting, New Zealand struggled against India’s spin attack, with Varun Chakravarthy dismantling their batting line-up with a maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs. The Black Caps were bowled out for 205, failing to chase down a modest total.

With a history of success against India in ICC finals, New Zealand will be eager to extend their dominance. They have twice defeated India in summit clashes—first in the ICC Champions Trophy 2000 and later in the World Test Championship final in 2021. As the two sides prepare for the high-stakes final, all eyes will be on the conditions in Dubai, where dew and pitch behavior could heavily influence the contest.