The India vs New Zealand final clash is just a day away and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalized a semi-fresh deck at the Dubai International Stadium. It's going to be the same pitch that was used for the Group A league match between India and Pakistan on February 23. It was India that emerged victorious by six wickets. According to reports, the pitch might come in handy for the spinners, thanks to its slowish nature.

On what parameters was pitch decided for CT25 finals?

The Dubai International Stadium has a total of ten pitches, out of which only four have been used during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As per the report by Times of India, Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has used the two-week rest policy for every pitch that is being used in the tournament. The planning for this was initiated when ILT20 matches were played on the same decks prior to India's CT25 matches.

“If you look at the pitches used in the Champions Trophy, the curators and ground staff ensured they get at least two weeks rest. Even when the ILT20 was on, the pitch used for the India vs Bangladesh game wasn’t used for two weeks before match day. Similar approach was followed for the fixtures that were scheduled after that,” a source told the TOI.

“The ILT20 was underway but the ground staff had an eye on the Champions Trophy. Not just the square, the outfield was given a lot of importance and that is why you have such a lush outfield even after so much cricket.” added the source.

What to expect from the IND vs NZ final pitch?

Last time, when India and Pakistan played at the same pitch, the ball wasn't coming onto the bat due to its slow and sluggish nature. A similar behaviour can be expected from the wicket during the upcoming Sunday final as well, where both teams would rely heavily on their spin attack. Even the pacers on this deck would use slower deliveries to deceive the batsmen.