DUBAI: India play New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday in what could be a last hurrah for veteran stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
The 36-year-old Kohli and skipper Rohit, 37, came into the 50-over tournament with speculation swirling over when they will retire following lean patches in Test cricket.
Mainstays of a formidable India side for more than 15 years, the duo retired from T20 internationals after winning the World Cup last year.
This weekend could be the end for them in ODIs, with the next 50-over World Cup not until 2027.
"I am sure Rohit will lead India to a title. He will have another ICC trophy soon," former seam bowler Praveen Kumar told The Times of India.
"I will only say that Virat and Rohit, give us one more ICC trophy before you retire," he added.
India go into the final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium as favourites and with their confidence sky-high.
They have won all four of their matches at the eight-nation tournament, including beating New Zealand by 44 runs in the group phase, although both teams had already reached the semi-finals by then.
Rohit's side have played all their games in Dubai after refusing to visit Champions Trophy hosts Pakistan because of political tensions.
Rohit and Kohli came into the competition under pressure.
Master batsman Kohli silenced his critics with an unbeaten 100 against arch-rivals Pakistan, then hit a match-winning 84 against world champions Australia in the semi-finals.
Rohit's highest score has been 41 in their opening win over Bangladesh but the opener has been lauded for handing the team quick starts to build totals on at a venue where batting is tough.
India, who are looking to win the Champions Trophy for a record third time, also boast a world-class spin attack.
They unleashed four spinners in beating New Zealand with Varun Chakravarthy returning figures of 5-42 to help bowl out the Black Caps for 205 in their chase of 250.
India were unchanged against Australia as the spin-heavy selection came up trumps again, albeit on a Dubai pitch that turned a little less that time around.
In front of them lies a New Zealand team hoping to win the tournament for the second time, having done so in 2000 in what was the second edition of a competition likened to a mini World Cup.
The Black Caps powered into the final by beating South Africa by 50 runs in Lahore.
But the victory came at a price with an injury to pace bowler Matt Henry after he landed on his shoulder awkwardly while taking a catch.
Henry, who took 5-42 against India in the group phase, is in a race to be fit for Sunday.
"Still a little bit unknown at this stage," head coach Gary Stead said.
"He's obviously pretty sore just from landing on the point of his shoulder. Hopeful he will be okay."
Batsman Rachin Ravindra hammered 108 in New Zealand's Champions Trophy record total of 362 against South Africa at the batting-friendly Gaddafi Stadium.
Ravindra put together 164 runs with veteran batsman Kane Williamson, who hit 102.
The left-handed Ravindra, who also bowls left-arm spin, has amassed 226 from three matches after he returned from a nasty hit to his forehead in a tri-series match in Pakistan.
The Wellington-born Ravindra is of Indian origin with his parents hailing from Bengaluru.
"We don't quite know how the Dubai pitch is like," said Ravindra.
"I think we pride ourselves in adapting and playing the situation in front of us, so will see what happens in the next couple of days and hope it's a good cricket wicket."
India might be favourites and will have much of the crowd at the 25,000-capacity Dubai stadium roaring them on, but recent history is actually with New Zealand.
They registered a surprise 3-0 Test whitewash in India in October and November last year.
The Black Caps also hold a clear advantage over India with nine wins, six losses and one no-result at global white-ball tournaments.
Unbeaten India to face record-setting New Zealand for glory in Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy
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Unbeaten India to face record-setting New Zealand for glory in Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy
- 36-year-old Kohli and skipper Rohit, 37, came into the 50-over tournament with speculation swirling over when they will retire
- Mainstays of a formidable India side for over 15 years, the duo retired from T20 internationals after winning the World Cup 2024
Lowry and Elvira share halfway lead at Dubai Invitational
- Irishman Lowry began the day 3 shots behind Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy before finishing with 68
DUBAI: Shane Lowry and Nacho Elvira both produced brilliant rounds of 68 in windy conditions to earn a two-shot lead at the 2026 Dubai Invitational.
The Irishman began the day three shots behind good friend and Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy, but some stunning iron play and clutch putting saw him overhaul his playing partner.
Lowry is aiming to secure his first DP World Tour title since winning the 2022 BMW PGA Championship and he showcased his quality with five birdies and two bogeys.
Spaniard Elvira surged into contention thanks to four birdies in his final six holes for a matching 68 — the best rounds of the day — to set the clubhouse target of five under.
Having been joined at the summit of the leaderboard earlier in the day, McIlroy regained his one-shot advantage when he birdied the third to reach six under.
That lead was briefly extended to two when Antoine Rozner’s early birdie burst was offset by a double bogey, but McIlroy dropped a shot at the sixth.
A skewed chip left a difficult par putt for McIlroy to save par at the ninth and when it slid by, he was in a two-way tie for the lead at four under.
In the group ahead, Lawrence carded back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth — the latter with a sumptuous hole-out from the bunker — to join that mark.
Lowry opened with birdie-birdie for the second day running and despite a bogey at the fifth, he picked up the shot at the very next hole. A bogey at the ninth saw him slip back one, but he responded immediately with a lovely birdie putt at the 10th to rejoin the lead.
None of the trio could jump ahead on their own as they reached the turn, which saw Armitage increase the leadership group to four.
The Englishman, who started on the back nine, mixed two birdies and two bogeys during his front nine and then picked up shots at the second and fourth to reach the summit.
However, by the time McIlroy and Lowry finished the 14th hole, the latter was in the sole lead.
Lawrence had bogeyed the same par-three hole, Armitage dropped a shot at the ninth — his last — and McIlroy found the water at the 14th as the trio slipped back to three under.
That left Lowry on his own at the top. He was briefly joined by Elvira and McIlroy when the latter rolled in a 46-foot putt at the 16th for birdie, but Lowry followed suit from 31 feet to maintain his one-shot lead at five under.
McIlroy found the water for the fourth time at the 17th as he finished with back-to-back bogeys to sit three behind the joint leaders.
“Very happy (with the round),” said Lowry. “It was hard. It was tricky. You know, like that putt on the last hole, you don’t hole a lot of putts like that, and I did well. I did a good job. A couple sloppy mistakes on the front nine, but I was playing good and giving myself chances.
“I just had a great day out there. I really enjoyed it. I had a great group. Two great amateurs, and playing golf in a good frame of mind makes it a little bit easier. That’s sort of a little lesson for me for the rest season. If I play golf like that for the rest season in that frame of mind, I’ll be pretty good.”
Elvira had carded three bogeys and two birdies during his first 12 holes, but his birdie blitz to complete his second round propelled into the share of the lead with Lowry.
“I feel like off the tee I hit it really well,” said Elvira. “That’s something I struggled with in the past, and we made a couple changes, and I think it’s paying off. So, I’m very happy with the way I’m hitting it off the tee. It’s putting me in good positions to take advantage.”
Armitage and Spain’s David Puig were tied for third at three under, while McIlroy, Lawrence, Rozner and Spain’s Angel Ayora were one shot further back at two under.
American Ryggs Johnston recorded the first hole-in-one of 2026 when he aced the 218-yard par-three eighth with a six iron.
In the team competition, Jimmy Dunne, who was paired with Lowry, leads the way on 12 under, one stroke ahead of Greg Mondre and Dante Jimenez.
