India and New Zealand Gear Up for Historic ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final
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A Storm of Emotions as India and New Zealand Gear Up for Historic ICC Champions Trophy Final in Dubai
The cricketing world is buzzing with excitement, drama, and a fair share of controversy as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 reaches its climax. The final, set to be played between India and New Zealand in Dubai, has become the center of attention for fans, players, and administrators alike. But behind the thrill of the game lies a whirlwind of emotions, politics, and financial stakes that have turned this tournament into a talking point far beyond the boundary ropes.
While India and New Zealand prepare for the ultimate showdown, the story of Pakistan’s early exit continues to overshadow the event. The host nation’s elimination in just four days has left their fans, media, and former cricketers in tears. To add salt to the wound, the final was abruptly moved from Lahore to Dubai, stripping Pakistan of their chance to witness the trophy lift on home soil.
Former Pakistani players like Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, and Tanveer Ahmed have publicly criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for “ignoring the spirit of cricket” and organizing the tournament in a hybrid model, which clearly gave India a lot of advantage. Not only Pakistanis but a few of England former English cricketers also said that India has the benefit of playing all their matches at a single venue, which gives them an advantage of knowing the conditions, no travelling tiredness, and better pitch understanding.
Why they are lamenting now, these points were there when the ICC given the rights of hosting Champions Trophy to Pakistan. Every Indian and even Pakistani knows that India are not going to travel to Pakistan due to political issues and security concerns. Even other nations were aware of the relations between the two countries, they must have opposed at that time only, why now?
The ICC, however, seems unbothered by the backlash. With record-breaking crowds filling stadiums during India’s matches and tickets for the final selling out in just one hour, the council is riding a financial high. Ticket prices soared to 12,000 AED (₹3 lakh), making this one of the most expensive cricket matches in history. Critics, including ex-players from Pakistan and England, accuse the ICC of prioritizing revenue over fairness. They claim India enjoyed an “unfair advantage” by playing all their matches at a single venue (Dubai), avoiding travel fatigue and benefiting from familiar pitch and weather conditions.
Indian fans worldwide are celebrating their team’s dominant run, but the mood in Pakistan is somber. Social media is flooded with hashtags like #CT2025Controversy and #PakistanZindabad, reflecting national disappointment. Meanwhile, Dubai’s International Cricket Stadium is set to host a packed, electrifying final, with fans from both finalist nations creating a carnival-like atmosphere.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has exposed deeper issues in cricket administration. By awarding hosting rights to Pakistan despite India’s refusal to tour, the ICC knowingly set the stage for chaos. Now, with the final relocated, questions arise about the feasibility of hosting multi-national tournaments in politically sensitive regions.
For now, all eyes are on Dubai. Will India reclaim the glory, or will New Zealand script an underdog story? One thing’s certain: this final is about more than just cricket.
Will India make the changes in their playing XI?
Will New Zealand add more spinners in their Playing XI?
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