Ahead of New Zealand’s face-off against India in the Champions Trophy 2025 final, veteran batter Kane Williamson feels the Indian team has real clarity of how to operate on the pitches of the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, having played all of their matches in the tournament at the Dubai-based venue.
Several cricket experts have called out that the Indian team is receiving an unfair advantage due to its stay and games in one city. Williamson didn’t specifically mention the advantage, instead compared it to New Zealand’s upper hand of understanding the Lahore pitches where they defeated South Africa in the semifinal.
“I suppose having played there on a number of occasions; there’s real clarity in how they want to operate,” said Williamson on the question of whether India go into the final with an advantage of knowing the conditions.
“A little bit like our opportunity here, having played a number of times at this venue as well and I think that’s part and parcel in cricket. “It is what it is (India play all games in Dubai),” he added.
Williamson admitted that they are looking ahead to the final and not worrying about the other factors such as opponents or location. “Our focus is the next match, the location of that match, the opposition, they’re all factors. Obviously, we played India once there,” he said.
