A “semi-fresh” pitch will be used for the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand, according to a report in the Times of India. Reportedly, it will be the same pitch on which India played Pakistan in the league stage match on 23 February.

Four different pitches have been used in the four matches India have played so far, but the knowledge that they will be playing on a pitch they have played on before should give the Men in Blue some comfort.

The last match on this surface was played some 14 days ago, which should have given them enough time to recover for Sunday’s Champions Trophy final.

Notably, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has 10 pitches prepared by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). The stadium’s curator is Australian Matthew Sandery, who also looks after the pitches at the ICC Academy.

What happened during India vs Pakistan match?

During the last match at this pitch, India beat Pakistan by six wickets in a one-sided Champions Trophy match. India dismissed Pakistan for 241 after Saud Shakeel struck 62 off 76 balls, while skipper Mohammad Rizwan made a laborious 46 from 77 deliveries.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) picked up three wickets, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya (2/31) removed Babar Azam (23) and Shakeel. India completed the chase in 42.3 overs thanks to Virat Kohli (100 not out off 111), Shubman Gill (46) and Shreyas Iyer (56).

Kohli has been woefully out of form in recent times, but the Indian batter proved why he is considered among the greatest in the ODI format with a performance that came in a crucial clash.

Skipper Rohit Sharma (20 off 15), too, played a few audacious strokes before falling to a beauty from Shaheen Afridi.

During that match, batting seemed relatively easy in the first innings but got a bit tougher as the game progressed, making chasing the total harder.