CT 2025: Will Shami's knockout punch give Kiwis the Wankhede trauma again?

Shami has been a standout performer for India in this Champions Trophy, with eight wickets in four matches at an average of 19.87, with best figures of 5/53 against Pakistan. He is India's highest wicket-taker in the tournament and overall second-highest below New Zealand's Matt Henry (10).

In ICC ODI knockout matches across 50-over World Cup and Champions Trophy, Shami has taken 13 scalps in five matches at an average of 19.76, with best figures of 7/57 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinals at Wankhede Stadium.

Shami has however featured in only one final match, during the 50-over World Cup at home, taking one wicket for 47 runs in seven overs against Australia at Ahmedabad. However, it was not enough to prevent Aussies to chase down 241 runs for a win, thanks to a stunning counter-attacking ton by Travis Head that lifted Aussies from a troublesome spot of 47/3.

Shami is India's biggest bet at ICC ODI events and the equivalent of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli etc with the ball, being country's top wicket-taker with 63 scalps at an average of 14.33 in 22 matches, with the best figures of 7/57. His five five-wicket hauls are highest by any bowlers across both ICC ODI events.

Will Shami land a knockout punch on the Kiwis and remind them of his Wankhede heroics again?

India will play New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on March 9 at the Dubai International Stadium. India is undefeated in the tournament so far, and the Kiwis have looked rock solid with bat and ball under Mitchell Santner's captaincy.

The clash promises to be an epic sequel to the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy final, which New Zealand won. Men in Blue would like to avenge losses to the Blackcaps in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal and 2021 ICC World Test Championship final.