The pitch is set for a fierce semi-final battle when India hosts Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. It is their first ODI encounter since the November 19, 2023 Cricket World Cup final. The highly-expected match is to be hosted by the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday, March 4. New Zealand, in turn, will face South Africa in the second semi-final on Wednesday, March 5, in Lahore.
India, with Rohit Sharma at the helm, topped Group A by triumphing in all three of their league games. Australia beat England but had their matches against South Africa and Afghanistan rain-washed. Though no play was possible in the game between Australia and South Africa, the Aussies were nearly certain to have taken the victory over Afghanistan before nature stepped in to spoil things.
Group B saw New Zealand qualify for the semi-finals as they beat Pakistan and Bangladesh but lost to India. South Africa is still going strong, registering dominant victories over England and Afghanistan, while against Australia their game was washed away.
Though this will be India and Australia’s initial ODI encounter since the World Cup final, they recently had a contest in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where India defeated Australia and sent them out of the tournament. Immediately after the World Cup, India also secured a 4-1 win in a five-match T20I series in their backyard. But Australia is ahead in Test cricket, where they just defeated India 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
With both sides keen to show their superiority, the semi-final is set to be an entertaining battle between two of cricket’s greatest rivals.
