Final match will be nail-biting: Laxmi Ratan Shukla ahead of Champions Trophy 2025 final India, New Zealand

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.

"India is performing very well under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. The balance of our team is very good... We cannot take New Zealand lightly because their performance is also outstanding. The final match will be nail-biting..." Laxi Ratan Shukla said while speaking to ANI.

Further, Kuldeep Yadav's former coach, Kapil Dev Pandey, appreciated Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami's performances in the ongoing marquee event.

"This is a very important match for the players and also for the countrymen. Our team, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, is performing very well. Virat Kohli is in good form... Shreyas Iyer is also playing very well. The partnership should be nice. If we bat first, our runs on the scoreboard should be more than 300. If we ball first, we must stop the opponent at 240-260... Mohammad Shami is the best baller we have," Kapil Dev Pandey said.

At number four for India, Iyer has scored 1,773 runs in 40 innings at an average of 52.14, with four centuries and 12 fifties. His best score is 128*. In seven ODIs this year, Iyer has scored 376 runs at an average of 53.71 and a strike rate of 96.16, with four half-centuries and best score of 79.

Shami, who played a key role in India's victory with figures of 3/48 in 10 overs, has now climbed to the second spot in the list of highest wicket-takers. So far in the mega event, the speedster has grabbed eight wickets in four matches at an average of 19.88.