Match Details:
Date: March 4, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM IST
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Live ball-by-ball commentary: SportsTiger App
Preview:
The unbeaten Indian team will lock horns with Australia in the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on March 4. India are coming after three straight wins in the group stage while Australia have won only one game in the league stage with two of their matches getting washed out. However, it is going to be an interesting contest between two of the strongest sides of the tournament where India eye to take revenge of the 2023 World Cup final defeat while Australia will aim another ICC title.
Pitch Report
The surface of the Dubai Stadium looked suitable for the bowlers in the last three matches played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. At the start of the game, the pace bowlers get much support from the pitch. However, as the game progresses further, it becomes suitable for the spinners as seen in the New Zealand versus India clash where the spinners took nine out of 10 wickets in the second innings. The team winning the toss will prefer to put runs on the board and defend them in the semi-final. Out of the 61 matches played at this ground, the team batting first have won 23 times while the chasing team came out victorious on 36 occasions.
Team Analysis
India:
India continued their great form in the ICC events from the last few years and finished the league stage with three straight wins and finishing at the top of the points table in Group A. Now, the Men in Blue have entered the semi-final of another ICC event and will look to qualify for the third consecutive final after the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.
India Champions Trophy 2025 squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
Australia
Australia didn’t come with their best side in the Champions Trophy 2025 as most of their key players were ruled out because of injuries or several other reasons ahead of the tournament. However, the two-time champions still looked like a strong team as they chased down 353 runs against England and also got a flying start with the bat against Afghanistan before the rain decided to play a spoilsport. The Aussies made it to the semi-final with just one win in the group stage.
Australia Champions Trophy 2025 squad
Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Tanveer Sangha, Cooper Connolly
Match Prediction
Conclusion
It is likely to be a close match between India and Australia in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025. However, India will be having an upper hand against the Aussies while the Steve Smith-led side can give a tough competition to the Men in Blue.
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