Champions Trophy: India Vs New Zealand – The Middle-Overs Battle

March 2, 2025: As India faces New Zealand in their final league stage match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, all eyes will be on the crucial middle overs (11-40), where both teams have showcased exceptional skill with bat and ball. This match, which will determine their semifinal opponents, promises to offer another thrilling chapter in the historic rivalry between these two cricketing powerhouses.

In the current format, where many teams are shifting focus to T20 cricket, India and New Zealand have perfected the ODI template, especially in the middle overs. India, with its spin-heavy attack, has been a force to reckon with. All-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and specialists such as Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav have thrived in the middle overs, consistently applying pressure on opposition batters. Harshit Rana, despite being inexperienced, has also proven valuable in these overs, taking wickets with the older ball.

India’s middle-over batting has been impressive too. Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul have been exceptional at maintaining strike rotation and applying calculated risk. Kohli, in particular, has been in tremendous form, showcasing the ability to build partnerships and control the tempo of the game.

India’s performance against Bangladesh and Pakistan in this phase has been noteworthy. Against Bangladesh, even after an initial collapse, India bowled tight in the middle overs, conceding just 126 runs. Their spinners’ ability to build pressure and force risky shots led to the downfall of their opponents. Similarly, against Pakistan, India’s spin bowlers created pressure, dismissing key wickets in the middle phase, and restricting Pakistan’s scoring rate significantly.

On the other hand, New Zealand has been stellar in the middle overs, especially on batting-friendly surfaces like those in Pakistan. In their matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh, New Zealand turned the tide after early wickets by amassing 159/2 and 154/2 during the middle overs. This strong phase helped them post competitive totals, with New Zealand scoring 113 runs in the final overs against Pakistan, which helped them reach a formidable score of 320. Against Bangladesh, they chased down 237 runs with ease, scoring 32 in the death overs and finishing with 23 balls to spare.

While New Zealand has shown great form in these middle overs, their performance will be tested on the slower, more bowler-friendly conditions in Dubai. Historically, New Zealand has had a solid record against India’s premier spinners—Jadeja and Kuldeep. Since 2020, they have scored 288 runs while losing just three wickets against these two spinners.

Key batters like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham have been cautious against India’s spinners, while others like Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra have been more aggressive. Mitchell, in particular, has dominated Jadeja, scoring 60 runs in 11.2 overs without losing his wicket. Ravindra has also been fearless, scoring 41 runs off 5.1 overs against Kuldeep, but was dismissed just once.

As the two teams gear up for this final group-stage clash, the battle in the middle overs will be pivotal. Both teams have mastered the art of building partnerships and maintaining pressure, but with conditions in Dubai favoring spin, the spinners could once again play a decisive role.

With both teams already eyeing the semifinals, this match offers the perfect opportunity to fine-tune their strategies and head into the knockout stages with confidence. The showdown between India and New Zealand promises to be a thrilling encounter, where the middle-overs battle will likely determine the outcome.

Squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.
New Zealand Squad: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O'Rourke, Daryl Mitchell, Nathan Smith, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy.