3 things to look forward to in the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 clash ft. Virat Kohli's 300th ODI

The final group-stage match of the 2025 Champions Trophy will see India face off against New Zealand on Sunday, March 2. The Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host the contest.

India and New Zealand, who have four points each, have already qualified for the semifinals of the competition. Australia and South Africa, who finished in the top two in the other group, are candidates to be their opponents in the final four.

The two teams have a rich history of throwing up memorable contests, and this one is expected to be no different. Several interesting storylines surround the high-profile encounter.

India's squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.

On that note, here are three things to look forward to in the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy clash.

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#3 Virat Kohli will play his 300th ODI in Dubai

Net Sessions - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Virat Kohli will get to a milestone that presumably no other Indian player will in the future. The superstar batter will play his 300th ODI, becoming just the seventh player from the country to achieve the feat.

Kohli, fresh off a splendid hundred against Pakistan, will want to make the most of the occasion and make another sizeable contribution. He excelled against the Black Caps in the semifinal of the 2023 World Cup and should enjoy the challenge.

It'll be interesting to see if Kohli can mark the landmark match with another memorable display.

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#2 Will Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson join the party?

Net Sessions - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell haven't done much so far in the 2025 Champions Trophy. While the latter missed out on the Bangladesh clash and seemed rusty against Pakistan, the former has nicked off in both matches.

Williamson and Mitchell are too good to be out of the runs for long. They have what it takes to counter India's bowling through the middle overs, and their composure will be one of New Zealand's biggest strengths.

Most gears are oiled and turning for the Kiwis ahead of the semifinals, and if the duo can join the party, they will be well-placed to go all the way.

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#1 How will India's four-man spin attack fare?

Net Sessions - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Rohit Sharma sprung a surprise at the toss by announcing that Varun Chakaravarthy will replace Harshit Rana, making Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami the only two pace options in the side.

It'll be interesting to see how India's four-man spin attack fares. Kuldeep Yadav is still searching for his best form since returning from injury, while Chakaravarthy is inexperienced at the ODI level. They will likely be tasked with bowling across phases against a New Zealand batting unit that plays spin well.