Dubai Pitch for 2025 Champions Trophy Final, All You Need to Know
The big final of the Champions Trophy is almost here. India and New Zealand will play on March 9th. But even before the semi-final between India and Australia finished on March 4th, the ground staff in Dubai were already working hard. They watered the whole playing area and put markers on the wicket. So, which pitch will be used in the 2025 Champions Trophy final?
The wicket that will be used for the final was also used for the India vs Pakistan match on February 23rd. Some people might think this means a “used” pitch. However, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) says they always give each pitch two weeks of rest before using it again. In fact, all four pitches used in the tournament have had at least two weeks of rest.
Even though a lot of cricket was played before the Champions Trophy, the ECB started planning for the tournament as soon as they got the schedule. This planning even happened while the ILT20 was going on.
“If you look at the pitches used in the Champions Trophy, the people who take care of the ground made sure they got at least two weeks of rest,” said someone who knows about the situation. “Even when the ILT20 was happening, the pitch used for the India vs Bangladesh game was rested for two weeks before the match. They did the same thing for all the other games after that.”
“The ILT20 was going on, but the ground staff were already thinking about the Champions Trophy. They took good care of not just the wicket, but also the outfield. That’s why the outfield looks so good even after so many games,” the person added.
Heat will play a role in Champions Trophy Final
Recently, Dubai has been very hot, and even the nights are not as cool as they used to be during the first two weeks of the tournament. The hot weather will definitely affect how the wicket plays in the final.
The wicket might be slower than it was during the India vs Pakistan game. To stop the wicket from getting too hot under the sun on March 7th, the ground staff covered it during the afternoon and evening. They will take the covers off and let people see the wicket on the day before the match.
So, while the pitch has been used before, it has gotten the required rest. Because of the heat, however, the wicket might be slower than before. Therefore, both teams will need to adjust their strategies based on how the pitch and weather conditions play out. The ground staff have done their part, and now it’s up to the players to deliver a great final.
