Michael Bracewell will lead New Zealand in their five-match T20I series against Pakistan. He also captained the team during their tour of Pakistan last year, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Bracewell is stepping in as captain since Mitchell Santner, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra are all in India for the IPL.

Michael Bracewell will take over as captain for the Pakistan T20Is while Mitchell Santner is unavailable.

He played a big role in the Champions Trophy, where New Zealand finished as runners-up. In the final against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, he scored a crucial half-century and took four wickets against Bangladesh. To manage the workload of fast bowlers, Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke will only play the first three matches. Matt Henry, who missed the final against India, will return for the last two games.  

“It’s a huge honor to captain my country. I really enjoyed leading the team in Pakistan last year, and it’s great to have many of the same players in this squad,” Bracewell said in a statement from New Zealand Cricket.  

New Zealand squad for Pakistan T20I series

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Ben Sears is back after recovering from a hamstring injury, while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi returns after missing the Sri Lanka series. Kane Williamson has decided to sit out and wasn’t considered for selection. Bevon Jacobs, who was in the squad for the recent T20I series against Sri Lanka, couldn’t play as he was busy with the IPL. The T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand begins on Sunday, March 16, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Indian Team lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after defeating New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. The tournament was played in a hybrid format India’s matches, including the semifinal and final, were held in Dubai, while the rest of the games took place in Pakistan across Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Meanwhile, the ICC picked Mitchell Santner as the captain of their Team of the Tournament for his brilliant captaincy in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Pakistan, the defending champions and hosts, had a tough time in the tournament, failing to win a single game. They lost their first two matches to New Zealand and India, while their last group-stage game against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain. Pakistan has a tough time in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

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ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament

1. Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
   Rachin Ravindra had an outstanding tournament, scoring 251 runs at an average of 62.75, including two centuries. His brilliant performances earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

2. Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)
   Ibrahim Zadran was Afghanistan’s standout batter, scoring 216 runs at an average of 72, including a century. Unfortunately, Afghanistan’s journey ended early after their last group-stage match against Australia was washed out.

3. Virat Kohli (India)
   Virat Kohli once again showed his class, scoring an unbeaten century against Pakistan. He finished the tournament with 218 runs at an average of 54.5.

4. Shreyas Iyer (India)
   Shreyas Iyer was solid in India’s middle order, scoring 243 runs at an average of 48.6, with two crucial fifties and helping India to win the Crucial final against New Zealand.

5. KL Rahul (wk) (India)
   KL Rahul made valuable contributions both with the bat and behind the stumps. He scored 140 runs at an incredible average of 140, with his highest score being 42*. His unbeaten knock in the final against New Zealand played a big role in India’s victory.

6. Glenn Phillips (New Zealand)
   Glenn Phillips was one of the best fielders in the tournament, taking five catches. He also contributed with the bat, scoring 177 runs at an average of 59, and even took two wickets.

7. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
   Azmatullah Omarzai was impressive with both bat and ball. He scored 126 runs at an average of 42 and picked up seven wickets, including a brilliant five-wicket haul.

8. Mitchell Santner (c) (New Zealand)
   Mitchell Santner was chosen as the captain after leading New Zealand to the final. He had a solid tournament with the ball, taking nine wickets at an average of 26.6 and an economy rate of 4.80.

9. Mohammed Shami (India)
   Mohammed Shami played a key role in India's bowling attack, picking up nine wickets in the tournament. He made a strong start with a five-wicket haul in India's opening match against Bangladesh.

10. Matt Henry (New Zealand)
    Matt Henry was one of the standout bowlers of the tournament, taking 10 wickets at an average of 16.7 with an economy of 5.32. Unfortunately, he was ruled out of the final beacuse of injury.

11. Varun Chakaravarthy (India)
    Varun Chakaravarthy was one of the brilliant spinners in the tournament. He picked up nine wickets at an average of 15.1 while keeping his economy rate at just 4.53.

    12: Axar Patel (India)
          Axar Patel was among the top all-rounders in the tournament. He took five wickets at an average of 39.2 with an economy of 4.35. He also made valuable                contributions with the bat, scoring 109 runs, including a crucial 29-run knock in the final in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

ICC squad of Champions Trophy

Rachin Ravindra, Ibrahim Zadran, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Glenn Phillips, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mitchell Santner (c), Mohammed Shami, Matt Henry, Varun Chakaravarthy, 12th player: Axar Patel

Although Mitchell Santner is widely regarded as a "part-time cricketer," his contributions on the field tell a different story. He played an instrumental role in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final, leading the Kiwis to their first final since 2009—and his performance throughout the match proved that he may not always be in the middle of the action, but he remains a mainstay for the team.

Why Santner Is Called a Part-Time Cricketer

Despite being an integral member of New Zealand's white-ball side, Santner hasn't had much luck sticking in the team over Test cricket. With pace-dominant bowling attacks preferred by New Zealand, his chance in red-ball cricket has been limited. The constant shuffling in and out of the playing XI gave rise to the impression of him being a part-time player. In ODIs and T20Is, however, he has come up trumps with bat and ball on numerous occasions to prove his worth in crunch situations.

By profession, a cricketer, and by passion, a golfer.

Besides cricket, Santner gets so much time to spare while playing golf, which is a passion of his. Along with his teammate Kane Williamson, he finds that golf is the perfect way to unwind. His love for that sport has even got his fans joking that he's a "full-time golfer, part-time cricketer."

New Zealand's part-time cricketer led the Kiwis to their first-ever Champions Trophy final since 2009 😄#ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/8A3zeozbC7

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 5, 2025

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With New Zealand now in the final, Santner's contributions may well be the factor that turns them into first-team champions. Whether it be on the cricket field or the golf course, his demeanor and talent are what guarantee him to be a genuine game-changer.

New Zealand have won the second semi-final against South Africa in Lahore. The Champions Trophy final will be played against India Vs New Zealand in Dubai. It's going to be a hefty work for both the teams. New Zealand crushed South Africa by batting first putting upon a huge, total of 362 runs, cudos to Rachin Ravindra and Willamson for centuries which laid the strong foundation despite losing early wickets. They never looked freckled and South Africa looked clueless when they were bowling. There was no plan of action from South African captain Temba Bavuma. 

When South Africa came to chase they were already in huge pressure of chasing a huge total and its been a habit of them chocking in crunch situation. Even today partnership of Temba Bavuma and Rassie Van Der Dessen couldn't save them, because rest of them fell like bunch of cards even though Miller crunched till end but it was too late.

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It's New Zealand Vs India For The Finals

New Zealand will once again travel to Dubai for one last time where India is waiting for them. Both New Zealand and India were the best teams to be deserving in the finals. India has been unbeaten in the tournament like they were in the 2023 World Cup and New Zealand has just lost only one game that too against India, In the rest of the other games they have crunched the opposition.

India and New Zealand were in the same group of the Champions Trophy where India topped the table by beating New Zealand, thanks to the spell of Varun Chakravarthy who took a fifer and finished his redemption when he got hammered 5 years back in the same Dubai ground. It is a match between two quality sides who have equal firepower yet India still has the pain that they will never forget which was delivered in 2000

Repetition of the 2000 Champions Trophy Final

Let's take back to your days of late 2000 when the same teams which are now playing the finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy, played the highly intense final 25 years ago too. Where Stephen Fleming the current CSK coach and Saurav Ganguly leading their teams respectively. India won the toss and chose to bat first. It was Ganguly for India who was leading from the front scoring a fantastic century and accompanied by little master Sachin Tendulkar half a century gave  New Zealand the target of 265.

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When New Zealand came to chase believing it was not the kind of start they wanted they lost their openers Craig Spearman and Nathan Hassle, backed by Stephen Fleming even though half of the side was in the dugout. It was a match in hand for India, But then Chris Cairns expanded the innings completely he scored 102 runs from 113 balls supporting Chris Harris who scored 46. New Zealand won the match by six wickets with 2 balls to spear. It was a clear turn that no one expected and after 25 years the clock has come to its full rotation, where India and New Zealand going to face each other on Sunday 9 March. Will India take their redemption it's time to wait for. 

Champions Trophy league matches are at its end and today Australia and Afghanistan will be tackling for the remaining semifinalists spot. Next India going to take on the most balanced side of Champions Trophy New Zealand on March 2. India will be exbhiting his bench strength against that game as both the team have already qualified for semi finals. 

 India has few injury concerns too where captain himself will be available is the talk of the town. During the match against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma injured himself while sliding on field. Later it was confirmed that he had catched his hamstring. New Zealand would also try their bench strength to regain their solidity. 

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Black Caps Eyeing For The Trophy

New Zealand have outclassed their opponents in this Champions Trophy edition first they beat Pakistan who were hosting the tournament. Then they beat Bangladesh while chasing a tricky target  where Bangladesh gave a tuff time to black caps but Rachin Ravindra brilliant knock constrained their effort and paved their way to semi finals. 

 New Zealand would also try to utilize their bench strength to identify the positives of their players though they are considered as well balanced side of the Champions Trophy. They have that constructed side that has every department ticked right from batters to bowlers. They have every possible chance to win the Champions Trophy. 

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India's Stamping Authority

Whereas India is the most consistent winning side who use their resources well. India still lacks their main resource Jasprit Bumrah who can be lethal with his pace. But to back strain injury that occurred in the Bgt series has sidelined him for the Champions Trophy. Though Mohammad Shami has been added to the squad after his recovery. Now few recent concerns are occurring in the team. 

 During the latest practice session, Captain Rohit Sharma and Vice Captain Subhman Gill were missing, rather the rest of the squad were in a practice session. Indian team can't afford more injuries for now though they have backup but disturbing the core team will affect the balance. Both teams will have some definite changes to examine their bench strength. It is assumed that Shami and Rohit may be rested. Rishabh Pant may get a game to play and Kl Rahul may get the opening slot. 

The highly anticipated final between Pakistan and New Zealand is finally here! Fans from all over the world are eagerly anticipating which team will raise the trophy. All you need to know about the match, live streaming information, top players, and a summary of their previous match is below.

Match Details:

• Match: Pakistan vs New Zeland, Final
• Date: February 14, 2025
• Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
• Time:
  1. Pakistan: 2:00 PM PST
  2. India: 2:30 PM IST
  3. South Africa: 11:30 AM SAST

LIVE STREAMING

TV Broadcast

• India: Sony Sports Network
• Pakistan: PTV Sports
• South Africa: SuperSport

Online:

• SonyLIV App & Website (India)
• PTV Sports Website & App (Pakistan)
• SuperSport Live Stream (South Africa)
• FanCode App & Website (Available in multiple countries)

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Key performers:

Pakistan:

Babar Azam – Pakistan’s captain and top-order batsman, known for his consistent performances.

Shaheen Afridi – A world-class fast bowler who can take early wickets.

Mohammad Rizwan – A dependable wicketkeeper-batsman who can anchor the innings.

New Zealand:

Kane Williamson – A match-winner with experience in handling pressure

Devon Conway – A strong top-order batsman who can provide a solid start

SQUADS:

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Akif Javed, Usman Khan

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Ben Sears, William ORourke, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Nathan Smith, Lockie Ferguson

New Zealand became the first team to announce the full squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, as the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced a 15-member squad for the tournament on Sunday (January 12). 

New Zealand is set for the Pakistan tour, which will include an ODI tri-series against the hosts Pakistan and South Africa before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The single round-robin ODI tri-series will begin on February 8, with the tournament Final date of February 14. Before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, New Zealand will also play a warm-up match against Afghanistan in Karachi.

New Zealand are in Group A of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, along with Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. 

While the NZC has announced the 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the same squad will be available for the ODI tri-series. The squad was announced at a special event at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland.

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ICC Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand squad - Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson return with one stand-by name

Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and the 33-year-old New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson have returned to the ODI squad, who last played in November 2023 during the Semi-final against the hosts India in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Mitchell Santner will continue his leadership role in the ODI format.

Fast bowler Matt Henry, who just won the Player of the Series award in the home ODI series against Sri Lanka, will play an important role in the pace-bowling unit along with Ferguson. 

However, if Ferguson remains unavailable for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to his ILT20 play-off commitments, the stand-by player for the tournament, Jacob Duffy will replace him. 

Well depth in every aspect

The pace trio, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, and Nathan Smith, are set to experience their first senior ICC tournament. Sears was previously in the traveling reserve for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and United States.

Apart from Williamson, the batting unit has the experiences of Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Will Young, while Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Mark Chapman will bring the powerful batting depth option.

Captain Mitchell Santner has the spin-bowling support of Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra.

Among the 15 members, only Kane Williamson (2013 and 2017), Tom Latham (2017), and Mitchell Santner (2017) previously experienced the ICC Champions Trophy. 

New Zealand won the ICC Champions Trophy 2000, which was the second edition of the tournament (ICC KnockOut Trophy), under the leadership of Stephen Fleming. 

New Zealand’s 15-member full squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (also for the ODI tri-series in Pakistan)

Mitchell Santner (Captain), Kane Williamson, Tom Latham (wk), Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke, Nathan Smith.

Kiwi spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner has been appointed as New Zealand's white-ball captain across ODI and T20I formats. He will take over the reins from Kane Williamson following New Zealand's disappointing exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup earlier this year. Santner has previously served as an interim captain for the Black Caps captaining them in 24 T20Is and four ODIs.

However, his first assignment as New Zealand's full-time white-ball skipper will commence against Sri Lanka in late December. The upcoming Champions Trophy in February 2025 followed by the 2026 T20 World Cup will be the two major assignments in his captaincy tenure for New Zealand. 

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Santner expresses delight after assuming captaincy

During a close conversation with the all-rounder, Santner revealed that it had always been his dream to play for New Zealand and represent them on the biggest of stages. He further adds that it is a new challenge and looks forward to the opportunities that lie ahead of him.

"It's obviously a huge honor and a privilege to be asked. When you're a young kid the dream was always to play for New Zealand but to have the opportunity to officially lead my country in two formats is special. It's a new challenge and I'm excited to get stuck into the important period of white-ball cricket that we have ahead of us."

Gary Stead showers his praise on the all-rounder

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead remains confident of Santner's abilities to deliver the goods. He further revealed that Santner was the first-choice selection across both white-ball formats and speaks highly of his calm and collected personality. 

"Mitch is a fantastic team man and leads by example in all facets of the game. He's an incredibly calm and collected personality and he has a huge amount of respect in the changing room, which will serve him well. He's had plenty of experience leading the T20 side and did a good job when he captained the ODI team last month, so he already has a good understanding of what it means to lead the team. I'm sure Mitch will also bring his own ideas and style of leadership to the role."

Despite his strong credentials in limited-overs format, Santner has been exempted from captaincy in the longest format. In Stead's opinion, Tom Latham has been doing a fine job as a full-time Test captain for New Zealand, and under his leadership, New Zealand went on to do the unthinkable by beating India at home by an unbelievable margin of 3-0. 

Mitchell Santner made history with his remarkable 7/53 against India in Pune, marking the second-best figures by a New Zealand spinner in Test innings. Santner’s performance showcased his skill and resilience, cementing his place in New Zealand cricket records. With a mix of consistent bowling and precise strategies, Santner led his team’s defense effectively against India’s batting line-up.

Santner’s spectacular spell

In just his 29th Test, Mitchell Santner achieved his career-best figures, surprising fans with a late-blooming brilliance. His 7/53 stands just behind Ajaz Patel’s iconic 10/119 against India in 2021, also in India. Santner’s control over the game was demonstrated through his four LBW dismissals, a rare feat that matches records set by international bowlers like Steve O’Keefe in India back in 2017. His wicket-taking prowess was especially noteworthy for reaching this milestone so early on, having claimed 54 wickets in Test cricket to date, making him third in line after John Reid and Richard Collinge for the most wickets at the time of a maiden five-wicket haul.

Record-breaking spinners in action

The Pune Test showcased exceptional performances from both sides, with Washington Sundar and Mitchell Santner each claiming seven-wicket hauls in the first two innings of a Test—a rare achievement not seen in over 25 years. The game saw an astounding 19 wickets taken by spinners across the first two innings, tying for the second most on Indian soil. Santner’s precision and Sundar’s dynamic bowling speeds added a unique layer of excitement to the match, with both players maintaining an impressive average wicket-ball speed. While Indian spinners averaged around 90 kph, Santner’s 82.7 kph strategy proved highly effective.

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India’s challenging Test series continues

India's struggle with conceding high first-innings leads has become a pattern. This Test marked the second consecutive instance, following Bengaluru, where India allowed over 100 runs in a first-innings lead. This scenario recalls the famous 2001 series against Australia, where India came back from a significant lead at Eden Gardens to secure a historic victory. With Santner's record-breaking performance and India’s ongoing challenge in managing early leads, this Test series continues to be one for the books.

The upcoming first T20I between New Zealand and Pakistan at Eden Park faces a substantial setback as key all-rounder Mitchell Santner has been ruled out due to a positive COVID-19 test. His absence extends beyond missing the Auckland match, with Santner undergoing self-isolation and independent travel to his residence in Hamilton, where the second international is scheduled. New Zealand Cricket’s monitoring measures reflect the challenges posed by the pandemic, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of cricket events and the ongoing efforts to prioritize player safety amid such uncertainties.

The impact of Santner’s absence is particularly noteworthy due to his versatile skills with both the bat and the ball. As a key player for the Blackcaps, his unavailability could pose challenges for the host team in maintaining their competitive edge. The setback underscores the ongoing challenges that cricket teams face in navigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on player availability and team dynamics.

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New Zealand Cricket’s precautionary measures and the decision for Santner to isolate himself reflect the ongoing vigilance within the sports community to curb the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of players and staff. The situation serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of sporting events in the current global landscape, with teams adapting to unforeseen circumstances to uphold the integrity and safety of the game.