India are attempting to break a 37-year-old curse as they take on New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai on Sunday, March 9. Team India enter the game as favourites, having won seven ODIs in a row en route to the final. However, India do not enjoy a great record against New Zealand when it comes to tournament finals. In fact, the men in blue have not beaten the Kiwis in an international cricket final since 1988. India and New Zealand have faced off twice in the final of a major senior ICC event, and the Black Caps have won on both occasions. Overall, New Zealand lead India 3-1 when it comes to finals in international cricket.
The first instance of a New Zealand win came during the 2000 ICC KnockOut Cup final (the previous name of Champions Trophy), which is the only instance of New Zealand winning an ICC final in white ball cricket. On that occasion, New Zealand beat India by four wickets in a closely-fought game.
More recently, New Zealand beat India in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021 final.
In between, New Zealand also beat India in the final of a tri-series in 2005, which also featured Zimbabwe.
Therefore, the last time India beat New Zealand in a final came in the Sharjah Cup final in 1988. In that game, India won by 52 runs with former India head coach Ravi Shastri starring in an all-round performance.
That makes it 37 years since India beat New Zealand in a final in international cricket. Should India beat New Zealand in the final, this will be the first time they beat them in the final of an ICC event.
It would also ensure that India become the record holders of the Champions Trophy by themselves. Having won twice previously (2002 and 2013), India are presently joint-record-holders with Australia.
India have already defeated New Zealand once in the Champions Trophy 2025, having won the Group A encounter between them. In that game, New Zealand failed to chase down a target of 250 as mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy took a fifer.
The key for New Zealand in the final would be to deal with India’s four quality spinners. New Zealand put up a strong showing with the bat in the semi-final against South Africa.
They will be aiming for a third consecutive ICC final win over India, and aim to extend the curse.
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