WHO: India vs Australia
Content: ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-finals
Location: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
When: Tuesday, March 4th, 1pm (09:00 GMT)
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India will face Australia on Tuesday. The first semi-final of the Champions Trophy is a matchup that pits the favorites of the one-day international (ODI) competition with the 50 overworld champions.
In fact, the game was a recurring final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, and the Australians upset the odds to beat host India in the final at Ahmedabad.
Does the location in Dubai in India give them an advantage?
India’s captain Rohit Sharma has rejected the suggestion that they have an unfair advantage by being allowed to play all Champions Trophy matches in Dubai.
India refused to tour Pakistan for the tournament due to tense political relations between bitter neighbors who only perform with each other in multi-team events.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), which has been criticized by former Indian chairman Jay Shah as its current chairman for mandating Indian financial engines, has been criticized for camping India in Dubai.
The other teams made round trips between three Pakistani cities and Dubai, but India did not face the hassle of travel, gaining valuable insight into the conditions of Dubai and played all three groups here.
Rohit denied that they had any advantages and said the surface of Dubai International Cricket Stadium behaved differently.
“There are four or five surfaces that are used, and all surfaces have different properties,” the opener said ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final against Australia.
“The pitch looks the same, but when you play, you play in a different way. So you can’t go to the idea of ’I played this way yesterday, and I play this way today’.
“We don’t know which pitch will play in the semi-finals, but no matter what happens, we need to adapt and see what is happening.
“This is not our home. This is Dubai. We don’t play so many games here. This is also new to us.”
India is undefeated in this year’s tournament, but Rohit predicted a tough contest with Australia, who won in the final encounter, the 2023 World Cup final.
“Look, Australia has been such a great team over the years,” Rocht said.
“So we expect some fights, we expect some nervous times in the middle.
“But that’s how the game plays these days. And you’re talking about the semi-finals.”
Can Australian spinners come to the party in the semi-finals?
Australian spinner Adam Zampa says he’s below his best in the Champions Trophy but is still ready to shoot a big wicket in the semi-finals.
Zampa scored 2-48 in the washout group match against Afghanistan and 2-64 in a five-wicket victory in England in Lahore, Pakistan, helping Australia reach the final four of the ODI tournament.
The 32-year-old leg spinner could be key to Australia’s hopes for victory in Dubai, when India won three group matches with a spin-friendly wicket.
“Personally, I don’t think I’m bowling at my best, but when I’m not in the best and feel great there, what I want to think of is the ability to contribute and take those big wickets,” Zampa said.
“So, yeah [I am] Obviously, I’ll be working on some things at the moment and hopefully back to my best.
“But like I said, the ability to still do the work for the team and get those big wickets is still there. That’s really important to me.”
What was the team’s movement before the semi-finals?
The Australian team flew from Lahore to Dubai on Saturday, despite knowing that they might need to return to Pakistan for the second semi-final, depending on the outcome of the Indian and New Zealand groups’ matches.
India officially defeated New Zealand with 44 runs on Sunday, ensuring that an early trip to Dubai, Australia, was worth it.
However, South Africa was forced to return to Pakistan for the second semi-final against New Zealand in Lahore on Wednesday.
The ICC attacked the scheduling, but Zampa did not complain.
“Obviously there was a bit of a busy schedule in Pakistan playing games several times between cities,” he said.
“It’s kind of nice to come here. We have a great facility here at ICC Academy, and we’ve changed that a bit too, so yeah, boys are fine about it.”
What are the Indian and Australian records in the Champions Trophy?
India claimed twice in the Champions Trophy in 2002 and 2013, but lost the final to Pakistan in the previous edition. Australia defended the crown against New Zealand in 2009 after beating the West Indies in the 2006 final.
India Team News
India won four spinners, including two all-rounders in their final group match in Dubai, with 5-42 Varun Chakravarthy returning Varun Chakravarthy.
Rohit said he would be tempted against Australia to maintain the same combination.
“He just showed what he could,” Rohit said of the man in Chakravalcy, a wrist spinner with many variations on his sleeves.
“Now, it’s up to us to think about and see how to make that combination right. He did everything that was asked to do…it’s a good headache.”
India was hit before the tournament when ICC male cricketer of the year was ruled out by Jaspuri Bumrah due to long-term injury-related issues in the bowler.
Australian Team News
Australia moved to cover the mat shorts that was ruled out due to a left quadriceps injury.
The left arm spinner Connolly will help cover the loss of short off-spin if the 21 year old is chosen against India. However, Adam Zampa is responsible for leading the spin attack.
The World Champions lost Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to the fast bowlers with ankle and hip injuries, respectively, in the Champions Trophy. They also don’t have Mitchell Stark who is out for personal reasons.
Mitchell Marsh hasn’t been injured either, but Marcus Stonis announced his retirement the night before the tournament.
Form Guide – India
Winnings in both matches so far are a major boost for the Indian side, which has been limiting international cricket on a day since the 2023 Cricket World Cup final.
The 3-0 series whitewash against England on the eve of the tournament was heavily boosted following a 2-0 defeat in the three-match series against Sri Lanka last August.
Form Guide – Australia
Australia has arrived at the Champions Trophy, behind two ODI series losses, including a whitewash to Sri Lanka, but changed things in the opening game against All Dry Brue England before the washout against South Africa and victory over Afghanistan.
The last 5 ODI matches
India: wwww
Australia: LLW NR W
When and where will the second semi-final be played?
The second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand will take place in Lahore on Wednesday.
When and where will the final be played?
The final is scheduled to take place in Lahore on March 9th.
If India reaches the final, the match will be switched to Dubai.
Indian Squad:
Squads: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreiyas Ayer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Aqua Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, arshdee Varun Chakravarthy.
Australian squad
Squad: Steve Smith (captain), Alex Carrey (wicketkeeper), Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardy, Travishead, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Marnus Lovescanyu, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Jake Fraser Munson, Ben Abu Abbott, Ben Abba Fraser McCruck, Sanga.
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